ytf***^. 





Class 
Book 



ssZLSAH 






_Q 



presented by 






Corrections 

The following paragraphs should follow the story ol "Fort> 
Third Engineers 

Co. D of the 43rd, the 49th and fag-end company oi the 

Twentieth, reported to the La Cluse-Bourg District, Ninth 
Battalion, and were given charge of the Murat operation, in the 
upper valley of the river Allier, in south central France. Here 

the\ operated a McDonough sawmill of 10. 000 rated capacity. 
The region was rich in timber resources, and its importance led 
to the establishment of a new Forestry district at LePuy, sixty 
miles to the east, with Fourteenth Battalion Headquarters in 
control. At the cessati >n of hostilities several new camps were 
in progress of development in the neighborhood. 

I pon release from the Lc Puy District the 40th Co. was sent 
to nun the assembled Forest troops in the Landes, and spent the 
spring in road repair details around Pontenx and Labouheyre 
\lhr die Fourth Battalion left for home, early in May, the 40th 
took over the job of liquidating the American mills in the Dax 
district, as well as at Pontenx, Xlimizan and the Burnt Area 
Sale of the bulk of equipment remaining to French railway in- 
terests closed die need lor garrison functions, and the scattered 
details started for the States, leaving only a forlorn rearguard, 
and warped and silent shanties, to recall to the Landais villagers 
the boom days of ' 17-' 19. 

"The Forty-Second Engineers" (Fourteenth Battalion, Twen- 
tieth Engineers) to read "The Forty-Second Engineers." 

"The Forty-Third Engineers" (Fifteenth Battalion, Twentieth 
Engineers) to read "The Forty-Third Engineers (Fourteenth 
Battalion, Twentieth Engineers.) 



Press of 

DIMM & SONS PRINTING CO 

Henrv Bldj;., Portland, Oregon 



TWENTIETH 
ENGINEERS 




FRANCE 
1917-1918-1919 

TWENTIETH ENGINEERS PUBLISHING ASSN. 

743 Greenwood Avenue 

Portland, Ore. 



2510 



1 



.S* 



Staff 



Perez Simmons, Alhambra, Calif., 4th Bn. . . . Editor 

Alfred H. Davies, Portland, Ore., 4th Bn Editor 

Shelby L. Davies, Portland, Ore., 6th Bn. . Business Manager 



William W. Logan, Sioux City, Iowa 
George W. Batten, New York City 
Theo. Tandberg, Goodrich, Minn 
Clarence H. Burrage, DeForcst, Ga. 
Clinton E. Young, Voorhccsvillc, N. Y 
Frank S. McNally, New York City 
Lyall Tracy, Minneapolis, Minn. . 
George A. Faulkner, Augusta, Mc. 
Robert Major, Ogden, Utah 
Charles Boorman, Great Falls, Mont. 
A. L. Van Riper, Berkeley, Cal. 
Philip B. Custard, Ridgeficld, Wash. 
Oscar E. Johnson, New Britain, Conn 
Clifford f . Dodds, Berkeley, Cal. 
Francis H. Gott, Rochester, N. Y. 
Ole E. Stokke, Rose Lake, Idaho . 
Kenneth Shetterly, Willamina, Ore. 
J. E. Hennessey, Excelsior, Minn. 
Harold C. Johns, Titusvillc, Pa. 
E. R. Hcrzog, New York, N. Y. 
Henry J. Askew, Merkcl, Tex. 
Ray O. Rennie, Thurston, Ore. 
Walter Tillotson, Richey, Mont. 
Raymond A. Crago, Flint. Mich. 
George R. Napper, Crcswell, Ore. 
William R. Bone, Salem, Ore. . 
J. E. Schwar?, St. Louis, Mo. . 
Proctor M. McClurc, Chicago, 111. 
George W. Anderson, Kenosha, Wis 
R. D. Remington, Hibbing, Minn. 
A. L. Lake, Mason City, Iowa 
William Houck, Plummcr, Idaho 
Cecil E. Haworth, Medway Mass. 
J. B. Campbell, Ontario, Cal. . 
Thomas Carney, Medford, Ore. 
David G. Glass, Pendleton, Ore. ' 
Leo F. Shields, Faribault, Minn. 
Lynton E. At hey, Portland, Ore. 
C. C. Buenger, Chicago, 111. 
C. M. Cradlebaugh, Portland, Ore 
Sam C. Yockey, Harrisvillc, Mich. 



Regimental Hq. 

10th Engineers. 

10th Engineers. 

1 0th Engineers. 

I 0th Engineers. 

10th Engineers. 

1st Battalion. 

1st Battalion. 

1st Battalion. 

2nd Battalion. 

2nd Battalion 

3rd Battalion. 

3rd Battalion. 

4th Battalion. 

4th Battalion. 

4th Battalion. 

5th Battalion. 

5th Battalion. 

5th Battalion. 

5th Battalion. 

6th Battalion. 

bth Battalion. 

7th Battalion 

8th Battalion. 

8th Battalion. 

Oth Battalion. 

l )th Battalion. 

9th Battalion. 
1 0th Battalion. 
10th Battalion. 
10th Battalion. 
10th Battalion. 
41st Engineers. 
41st Engineers. 
41st Engineers. 
42nd Engineers. 
42nd Engineers. 
43rd Engineers. 
43 rd Engineers. 
43rd Engineers. 
43rd Engineers. 



Table of Contents 

Introduction 

Acknowledgements 

The Engineers in France 

Division of Construction and Forestry 

The Twentieth Engineers 

Regimental Headquarters 

The Tenth Engineers 

hirst Battalion 

Second Battalion 

Third Battalion 

Fourth Battalion 

Fifth Battalion 

Sixth Battalion 

Seventh Battalion 

Eighth Battalion 

Ninth Battalion 

Tenth Battalion 

Forty-First Engineers 

Forty-Second Engineers 

Forty-Third Engineers 

Auxiliaries 

Reinforcements 

•'Official" Band 

New England Units 

Canadian Foresters 

Flying Knots 

Editorially Speaking 

Casualty List 



Setncateb 

to our unforgotten comrades, who passed 
from among us in camp, field or the 
breakers of I slay, and whose mem- 
ory is at once our most poignant 
sorrow and our loftiest pride. 



FOREWORD 

When America entered the war in 1917, one of the 
first demands oj the Commander-in-Chief was for a 
regiment oj forestry engineers. Ij an army of the size 
comtemplated was to be put at the front, docks must be 
built; railroads laid; barracks, warehouses, hospitals, 
bakeries, refrigerator plants, and power plants provided: 
and trench timbers, dug-outs, and barb-wire stakes tar- 
nished. The basic factor in all these necessities was 
lumber and the Twentieth Engineers, detailed to this 
task, more than met (heir tremendous responsibility. 

It meant work: hard, monotonous, and unrelenting, 
but never did men respond more nobly. From these first 
days in the Fall oj 1917 when I saw men hitched to 
wagons and pulling like horses because we had none. 
through those terrible spring days of I^IS when the 
Germans were driving on toward Paris and these men 
scattered from the Pyrenees to the Argonne toiled day and 
night to make possible our defense: down through the 
armistice until the last man came home, in all my ex- 
perience across the seas I never saw more faithful and 
conscientious effort. Brave deeds abounded in France 
but equal in spirit to any oj them was the persistent 
deeotion to his task, so vitally essential but lacking in 
personal glory, oj many a man in this largest regiment in 
history. 

It was my great privilege to serve men oj many 
regiments, but in all my service never did I find an or- 
ganization oj better personnel, or men who responded 
more quickly to high ideals and unselfish service. The 
story oj these men. their devotion, their sacrifice, and their 
loyalty will be related as long as the history of American 
accomplishments in the World War shall be recorded. 

HOWARD V. WILLIAMS. 




Captain Howard Y. Williams 
Regimental Chaplain. 



Seattle. Wash., 
April 14. 1920. 

To the Officers and Men of the 20th Engineers (Forestry l 

\s your former Commanding Officer it gives me great pleasure 
to have this opportunity to send you a greeting an J my appre- 
ciation of your services in France in the World War. an account 
of which is contained in this history of the Regiment. 

\^ patriots and woodsmen you promptly answered the call 
of your country and by your skill, enthusiasm and unceasing i 
you made a record in the American Expeditionary Forces in 
France of which you may well he proud. 

I shall always feel that it was a great honor to ho e commanded 
such an organization oi American soldi* 

J. \ W OODRl l I 
Lt.-CoL, Corps of linsineers, 
L . S. Annx. 




Colonel J. A. Woodruff 



To the Editors — History of 20th Engineers: 

It is to my mind an excellent effort on your part to endeavor 
to compile a history of the very important work of the 20th 
Engineers, which will not only be of value to the public but will. 
it is hoped, inform all of the men of the regiment of the enormous 

amount of work carried on h\ this regiment, of which only those 
members who were familiar with the work at headquarters could 
have fully appreciated. 

The record accomplished by the 20th Engineers and the 
auxiliary units attached to it is one of which every member can 
well be proud. I consider the year in which I was fortunate 
enough to be a member of the 20th Engineers, as one of the most 
valuable in my life and it gives me the greatest pleasure to have 
this opportunity of expressing a word of greeting to the members 
ol the organization. 

Sincerely, 

Edwin \ {. Marks. 

Major. Corps of Engineers. 
(Col. of Engrs. during emergency ) 




Colonkl Edwin H. Marks 



THE AMERICAN LUMBERJACK IN FRANCE 

The work of the 20th Engineers in France was one of the best 
examples of the value of industrial training in furnishing citizen 
soldiers well qualified for meeting one of the critical emergencies 
of the great war. General Pershing had been in France but a 
few weeks before he was impressed with the necessity of a special 
organization for supplying the American army with the vast 
quantity of timber needed in its operations at and behind the 
front. The 20th Engineers was the answer to this problem. It 
was organized largely from men trained in the forest industries 
of America. These men brought to the colors not only the 
patriotism of the citizen but the adaptability, the physical hardi- 
ness, and the rough and ready mechanical skill of the American 
woodsmen. They knew the work which they were called upon 
to perform; and they put into it not only the woodcraft which 
they had acquired but a spirit of backing up the fighting dough- 
boys which was unexcelled in the Expeditionary Force. 

In an incredibly short time, this regiment established an 
enormous lumber industry in France. It erected, moved, and 
reset sawmills at a rate which would take away the breath of the 
peace-time operator. When equipment was lacking, it improvised 
the tools needed out of any odds and ends of material available. 
It broke records of lumber production so fast that we could 
scarcely keep the count. It attained and held a reputation in 
the Army for being always on the job and for more than making 
good in the work expected of it. Its record is reflected in the 
recommendations made to the War Department by high Engineer 
officers that when such an organization can be gotten together 
and thrown overseas in so short a time there is no necessity for 
including lumber manufacture in the training of the regular 
Engineers. 

Notwithstanding the rapid expansion of the size of the Ex- 
peditionary Force beyond all earlier estimates and the corre- 
sponding increase in its demands for timber, the Army was kept 
well supplied with this vital necessity of modern warfare. The 
20th Engineers, including of course the old 10th Engineers and 
the battalions organized originally for road work, delivered the 
goods; and it should be a source of lasting pride and gratification 
to every member of this organization who had a part in its splendid 
achievements. 

W. B. Greeley, 

Lieut. -Col. , 20th Engineers. 




Lt.-Col. W. B. Greeley 




COLONEI W. A. MlIVHELL 



American Forestry Assn. 

Washington. D. C. 

Americans who went across the 
sea to aid in the fight for world-wide 
liberty — the boys of our Forest 
Regiments, whose actual record of 
achievement in production stands 
unparalleled — the American Forestry 
Association proudly and gratefully 
greets you in this your book. 

P. S. Ridsdale. 



Introduction 

Our own Elsie Janis said, a year after the Armistice, "The 
Boys miss the war; it was a jake old war." In some ways Elsie 
is right — we do miss the war. Xot that we want to do it all over 
again. But after seven or eight months of very civil life, we began 
to feel that something was lacking. We felt like the guy who 
swore off smoking forever, and wanders around aimless, not 
knowing what's wrong till he drifts by a lad with a pipe in his 
face and gets that smell of something cooking on the back of the 
stove, whereupon he knows what's the trouble, and brushes in 
past the wooden Indian. 

We'd been writing to a few of the gang; then we started 
circular letters around, each in his own old outfit. We figured 
on a handmade newsletter. But all that didn't suffice. It had to 
be something to satisfy that feeling we had about the Regiment. 
We missed the old war and wanted to see, and have, something 
that will bring it back to us, and that will tell us, and the cockeyed 
world if it chooses to listen, what a life we led in those days when 
men crossed seas and proved their manhood where the proving 
was good. 

That is why this volume was produced. It had to be done; 
somebody had to do it. The Twentieth Engineers was not one of 
a line of temporary outfits. We were the biggest regiment in the 
world, we were unique in military annals. We were not recruited 
hit-or-miss, nor gathered in by the numbers. Every man hud to 
prove that he was qualified for responsible duty when he joined 
and God knows his proofs were put to the test when we got across. 
Of all the outfits that made up the A. E. E., probably none had a 
higher percentage of men fitted for skilled and exacting service, 
and ready to deliver that service without the traditional discipline 
that all good military writers tell us is necessary to make a soldier 
do his duty. We did our duty because that's what we went there 
for. We knew there would be no medals, and there were none. 
We were the only outfit without which our war could not have 
been won, and we knew that too. When the job was over, w e were 
O so glad to get out of it all, but nowadays we've got to admit 
that, with certain limitations, those were The Days. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



To date nothing has appeared to fill the need for a review of 
the job that we, the enlisted men of the Twentieth, did over there. 
A number of picture galleries of the executives of the Twentieth 
have appeared, and numerous articles by various officers narrating 
their achievements, have been published, but a diligent perusal 
of these stories leaves a reader with a confused notion that the 
forces employed in achieving the successes so vividly portrayed 
were all mechanical. Reminders that the human beings who put 
the job across were really there, are infrequent, and generally 
amount to casual mention of the '"men," dropped in at the closing 
paragraph. Men! We'll say they were men! And had the fact 
that they were men been recognized in a fuller degree, we would 
gladly have left the publication of our Regimental story to those 
whose time and opportunity, now as in the days of service, are 
greater than ours. 

It is not with a primary intention of recording our Regimental 
History that this volume is compiled. 1 listory consists of essential 
facts alone, and to us the workaday facts of our participation in 
the World War arc drab and aching memories of monotonous 
drudgery. A History of the Twentieth Engineers would be, in 
the main, a resume of output and shipments, feet B. M. and mejter- 
gauge, Clark 20s and Tower 3-saws, steres and kilos, operation 
strengths and acquisition factors. To us, the men who lived 
that History into being, our service was so rich in things to re- 
member, so filled with things wc cannot forget, that the actual 
record of our technical achievements, and the imposing records 
of our executives, wc leave for others to tell. This book is the 
story of 18,000 men who went over to France and cut lumber 
because it was needed to w in the war. We are endeavoring to tell 
the story as we told it to our folks when we got home — our comings 
and goings, our good times and bad times. 

We have no axe to grind in this book. The war is over. There 
is no need of urging reforms, because the Forestry division of the 
United States Army is gone. Readers may think we devote too 
much stress and criticism toward our former superiors, the officers. 
Well, what is more humorous, now that it is over, than a nice new 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



shiny officer, in full regalia, and without any knowledge worth 
mentioning of Army or lumber, bossing an outfit of hard-working 
birds most of whom knew more than he? In those days it wasn't so 
damned funny. They really got away with a good deal at our 
expense, and caused us beaucoup grief. Those of our veterans who 
served under the President's commission, looking back to 1918 
from this civilian year of 1920, will probably concede that we're 
entitled to declare ourselves along this line. How about it, SIR 1 
We'll just make you a proposition : you admit that you could have 
been a lot more human two years ago, and we'll cut out a lot of 
the stuff that we were just aching to unload in the fag end of the 
Book. 

Concluding, we'll say a few words to the man for whom we've 
compiled the book — the unsung, uncited buck of the Twentieth 
Engineers. You never got your photograph in the magazines, 
but that didn't impair the quality of your slumber any. You are 
the guy that put the job over; you unloaded the boat, you built 
the camp, the road, the mill, the yard and the railroad. You 
kept the mill roaring, and when they had no more timber to cut 
you turned around and rebuilt the roads the other guys had 
smashed. You made many a reputation, earned many a ribbon 
and citation, but not for yourself. That's fair enough; you didn't 
go after such things, and you had no place to wear 'em if you'd 
got 'em. In your ragged, pitchy fatigues you were far from a 
beauty, but you were sure effective. If another war comes along 
before we're dependents, we'd like to gang up with you again. 



Acknowledgments 



I he I editors acknowledge with appreciation the assistance of the 
many who have co-operated in making the publication of this 
volume possible. Our policy of reflecting the personal viewpoint 
of our Regimental experiences necessitated the collection and 
assembling of various first-hand narratives, and the high degree 
of interest shown by those to whom we have appealed for contri- 
butions has been a source of pride in our Regimental solidarity. 

To our staff of volunteer associate editors we are indebted for 
a large share of our material. These men, veterans all, are 
scattered through the nation, and every one is as busy as the 
ex-service man must needs be to survive. The staff, as listed, 
consists of former enlisted men of the Regiment, who have ren- 
dered assistance in many ways, historical, lyrical, or pictorial. 

Our one-time Commander. Major Edwin H. Marks, now- 
attached to the staff of the Chief of Engineers, has been of great 
assistance on a number of parts of the Book, compiling the em- 
barkation list, summary of overseas organization, the casualty 
list, and other matter. Capt. Paul D. Mackie, of the Fourth and 
Eighteenth Battalions, contributed the record of the reinforce- 
ments still in the Stuns at the Armistice. Capt. Tom Sweeney, 
49th Co., and Lieuts. [David Glass, 45th Co. and O. W. Lazcn- 
dorf, 47th Co., provided narratives of their outfits' activities 
overseas. 

Lieut. Col. James A. Woodruff made available to us his 

exhaustive article upon engineer construction in France, which 
has been drawn upon freely. A pamphlet issued by the Chief of 
Fngineers furnished data for the brief summary on the Engineers 
in France. Major Swift Berry furnished the statement of facts 
about the Burnt Area operation. 

Miss E. S. McMillan, War Historical Bureau, National War 
Work Council, compiled extensive data on the leave areas in 
France. Mr. Ralph H. Varney, later of the Twentieth Engineers, 
has provided material concerning the New England Units in 
Scotland. 

The Editors of the Saturday Evening Post, The Independent, 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

and American Lumbermen have been of substantial help. Free 
use has been made of several articles in American Forestry and 
the American Lumberman. 

We owe and declare a special debt to Mr. P. S. Ridsdale, 
Editor of American Forestry, for the use of his roster of the 
Regiment — the only such record in existence, outside of the 
archives of the Adjutant General, which will not be available 
for a long time. 

Finally, we report the following published sources of in- 
formation : 

Book 1, Twentieth Engineers; Preliminary Outline by Capt. 
Arno Kolbe, 1919. Loaned by Major General Lansing H. Beach, 
Chief of Engineers. 

The Canadian Forestry Corps. By C. W. Bird and Lieut. 
J. B. Davies, C. F. C. 1919. Sent by the Director of Historical 
Section, D. of M. and D., Ottawa. 

History of the Spruce Production Division. Loaned by 
Capt. David J. Witmer of the Division. 

New England Sawmill Units. From the office of Massachu- 
setts Committee on Public Safety, Mr. James J. Storrow, Boston. 



y/HOA> JD 

— — ' -fou. 




The Engineers in France 

The Corps of Engineers was represented in France by the 
Division of Construction and Forestry, the Division of Military 
Engineering and Engineer Supplies, and the Division of Light 
Railways and Roads. On the day the Armistice became 
effective the Engineers — the largest of all the technical services 
in the American Expeditionary Forces — numbered 174,000 men, 
distributed as follows: 

With the Armies . 86,400 

Miscellaneous (in training, at schools, shops, 

etc.) 18,500 

Construction (in the S. (). S.. under the Divi- 
sion of Construction and Forestry) 43,000 

Forestry . 18,500 

Supplies 7,000 



Total 174.000 

In addition, there were engaged in construction and road work 
in the A. E. F., mainly under the supervision of the D. C. and F., 
about 34,500 troops of other arms of the Service. 34,000 civilians, 
and 15,000 prisioners of war. 

The Engineers operating with the Armies maintained lines 
of communication, built bridges, fought as Infantry, conducted 
camouflage, searchlight, flash and sound ranging, water supply, 
and many other functions. 

Behind the Lines 

The Division of Engineer Supplies handled a total of 3,25 5,000 
tons of Engineer supplies, occupying 764.000 square feet of covered 
space and 14,352,000 square feet of open space. Before the 
Armistice, the repair shops of the Division had completed more 
than 2,000 orders. Seven cement mills produced 315,000 barrels 
of cement and manufactured over 100 miles of concrete pipe. 

The Division of Light Railways and Roads was operating, 
when the fighting ended, 2,240 kilometers of light railway, of 
which 1.740 kilometers had been taken from the Germans. At 
Abainville 10 shops buildings were constructed; 2,300 cars 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

erected: and 140 locomotives repaired. The total tonnage handled 
by the Division, up to February 1. 1919, was 860,000. 

The Division of Construction and Forestry was responsible 
for the major part of the immense construction accomplished in 
France In the words of Colonel Ernest Graves, "A comparison, 
d on the number of men engaged, the amounts of materials 
consumed, and money spent, and the results accomplished in a 
given time, would show that the construction of the Panama 
("anal, that 'greatest feat of man.' is overtopped and dwarfed by 
the work of the Engineers in France during the great war." 




The Division of Construction 
and Forestry 

The back-bone of the construction forces of the Service of 
Supplies was formed of 5 regiments of Engineers — Railway 
Engineers (the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th) and Forestry Engineers 
(20th). Other regiments, such as the 1 1th, 23rd, 25th, 33rd, 55th, 
32nd, 106th, 109th, 309th, 311th, 312th, 318th. 319th, and many 
other regiments and battalions performed valuable service in the 
S. O. S. But the distinction of being the mainstay regiments has 
been accorded to these five organizations, both because of their 
early arrival and long service and because of the fine work they 
accomplished, under conditions fraught with difficulties, during 
the first winter of the A. E. F. in France. The 15th Engineers, 
under the command of Col. Edgar Jadwin, arrived at Vierson on 
the 28th of July, 1917; the 17th Engineers arrived at St. Nazaire 
August 17; the 16th arrived at Is-sur-Tille August 26th; the 18th 
landed at Bordeaux August 20: the 10th (later merged with all 
forest troops into the 20th) arrived at Nevers October 9, under 
the command of Col. J. A. Woodruff; and the vanguard of the 
20th arrived November 28. 

With enormous increase in the strength of the American 
Expeditionary Forces, these regiments saw the work behind the 
lines expand to embrace great undertakings, the strength of the 
personnel involved reaching at times a maximum of 160,000 
men. After reorganizations to meet changing conditions of growth, 
the vast construction work was brought under one head, the 
Division of Construction and Forestry, which in turn functioned 
as four sections: Administration. General Construction, Rail- 
roads and Docks, and Forestry. 

The specific projects of the D. C. and F. were production of 
lumber, shelter for troops, hospitalization, ports, railroads, 
storage depots, and roads. A total of about 17,120 barracks were 
built to accommodate the thousands of arriving Americans; these 
represented no fewer than 324 lineal miles of barracks, placed 
end to end. On November 11, 1918, there were 280,000 hospital 
beds provided, of which 141,000 had been made possible by con- 
struction of new hospitals, the remaining 1 39,000 being in French 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

buildings. This construction totaled 7,700 hospital barracks, or 
127 lineal miles of wards. After the first week in July, 1918, there 
were at all times at least 50,000 beds in excess of requirements. 

1,035 miles of standard gauge railroad were completed, most 
of it in yards at the great depots. At Gievres, where the largest 
storage depot was established, 143 miles of track were laid. A 
total of 23,000,000 square feet of covered storage was provided. 
Remount depots and veterinary hospitals accommodated 67,300 
animals. A bakery at Is-sur-Tille was constructed, turning out 
800,000 pounds of bread daily; bakeries at Brest and Bordeaux 
produced 150,000 pounds per day each; and one at St. Nazaire 
120,000 pounds. 

A total of 15,850 kilometers of roads, or about 9,900 miles, 
were worked, requiring the distribution of 1,694,000 tons of rock. 
Large facilities were provided for water supply, sewerage, ship 
berths, lighterage, electric power and light, refrigeration, oil and 
gas storage, etc. For these projects very large amounts of lumber 
were required. The Forestry Section of the D. C. and F. furnished 
75 per cent, of the lumber and ties and over 90 per cent, of the 
fuel wood used by the American Expeditionary Forces, both in 
the Service of Supplies and in the Zone of the Armies. 



The Twentieth Engineers 

(Forestry) 

A short time after the United States declared the existence of 
a state of war with the Imperial German Government, plans for an 
adequate force of forest engineers were promulgated and rapidly 
driven forward. Urged by the Joffre Mission to America by the 
British Mission by the cabled requests of General Pershing, and by 
the example of the Canadian Government, the War Department 
made the rapid formation of forestry troops one of its primary ob- 
ligations to the American Expeditionary Forces. The cables of the 
American overseas Commander in Chief forcibly conveyed the in- 
formation that to send fighting troops before an adequate supply of 
lumber could be assured was without avail and that lumbermen 
were needed among the first. The lines of communication depended 
upon great amounts of timbers and ties: docks, lighterage, storage 
facilities, shelter, hospitalization, ice-making plants, bakeries, 
fuel, — and, in fact, all of the construction in the Service of Supplies, 
— were dependent upon lumber; and the Front Lines required it 
for dugouts, trench construction, entanglements, compounds for 
prisoners, bridges, and a great variety of other uses. Even 
coffin lumber was to be provided by the forest troops. And the 
already heavy demands upon the shipping facilities of the world, 
increased by the relentless submarine campaign of the enemy, 
made it of paramount importance to produce the lumber in France. 

The first steps taken to this end provided for the organization 
of the Tenth Reserve Engineers (Forestry), the first troops ever 
recruited for lumbering in the history of American military 
operations. This regiment, consisting of two battalions of three 
companies each, was authorized as an emergency measure May 
17th, 1917, and formally authorized by General Order No. 78 on 
June 27th. The United States Forest Service assumed the task 
of recruiting the regiment, many of the Government foresters 
joining at the call to arms. A period of preparation at American 
University on the outskirts of Washington, D. C. was marked by 
the immediate application of woods operations made necessary 
by clearing camp grounds. Under the command of Col. James 
A. Woodruff, Corps of Engineers, the Tenth sailed from New 
York on the "Carpathia" on September 10th. A nine-day wait 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

occurred at Halifax, N. S., for the formation of a convoy of 
13 ships, some of them with American, Canadian, and Australian 
troops aboard. A zig-zag course was followed on the voyage, and 
great precautions observed especially at night. Ten destroyers 
escorted the convoy through the danger zone near the British 
Isles. Part of the convoy put in at Liverpool; the "Carpathia" 
and several other vessels went to Glasgow, where the Tenth 
Engineers, the first Americans to land in Scotland, received a 
hearty ovation. A few days in a rest camp at Southampton, a trip 
across the Channel to Le Havre, and a box-car journey across 
France, brought the regiment to Nevers, where the units separated 
and proceeded to their widely-scattered stations. 

It was realized that the first regiment sent to cut timber 
in France was only the biginning of the force needed to supply 
with forest products the comtemplated army of America in Europe. 
General Pershing asked for more troops. In cable No. 27 (July 
4th) he requested four additional regiments of lumbermen. Cable 
No. 72 (July 31st), No. 77 (August 5th), and No. 150 (September 
9th) repeated and amplified his requirements. On the 17th of 
July, the Chief of Engineers submitted to the Adjutant General 
a schedule containing four forest regiments (5,000 men) and forty 
labor companies (10,000 men). This schedule was returned to 
the War College Division for furhter study and as the result 
General Order No. 108, August 15th. 1917, was issued, including 
among other special troops the authorization of one regimental 
headquarters, 10 battalions of engineers (forestry) of three 
companies each, and nine service battalions of four companies 
each. But on August 28th the Chief of Engineers was notified 
that but 10,000 of the 48,000 special engineer troops authorized 
by G. O. No. 108 could be organized at once, due to lack of clothing 
and limited shelter. 

August 25th the Chief of Engineers wrote to Mr. W. L. Hall 
of the Forest Service in regard to assistance in providing officers 
for the forest troops about to be assembled. It was suggested 
that provision be made to supply officers for 15 battalions of 
forestry troops and three service battalions, including a total of 
28 Majors, 127 Captains, 215 First Lieutenants, and 155 Second 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

Lieutenants. These men were to be 25 per cent forestry experts, 
25 per cent officers with military training, and 50 percent sawmill 
and logging men. Committees of prominent men in the lumber 
trade were formed in many parts of the country to meet applicants 
for commissions and to decide upon their fitness as officer material. 
The ranks of the new forest regiment, known as the Twentieth 
Engineers (Forestry), were filled from the Engineer Enlisted 
Reserve Corps, by recruiting, by the Forest Service, and from the 
selected draft. 

The actual organization of the Twentieth Engineers was 
affected September 9th. 1917 at American University. Major 
Earl S. Atkinson was in command until relieved on the 15th by 
Col. W. A. Mitchell, who had been stationed in the office of the 
Chief of the Engineers and actively engaged in the work of 
organization. The headquarters was established at American 
University where nearly all of the companies underwent organi- 
zation, increase to authorized strength, equipment, and military 
drill. Due to the inability of this new camp to accomodate the 
rapidly growing regiment, some of the troops were stationed for 
varying periods at Fort Myer and at Camp Belvoir, Virginia. 

For several reasons, principally those of clothing and shelter. 
it was found impossible to recruit and train the entire regiment 
at one time. One or two battalions taxed the capacity of American 
University Camp. On August 28th, the First and Second Bat- 
talions were authorized to be formed, with a maximum of 1,200 
men; this strength was increased September 28th to 1,600 men. 
These battalions were formed of surplus men transferred from the 
Tenth Engineers on September 8th, by order of the Commanding 
Officer of the Eastern Department. Their training completed, the 
First and Second Battalions were delayed in their departure for 
France by the lack of denim coats, trousers and woolen gloves. 
The difficulties encountered in properly and rapidly equipping 
the men are indicated by the following quotation from a letter of 
General E. E. Winslow to General Harry Taylor, Chief of En- 
gineers, A. E. F., dated October 26. 

"3. In fact the two first battalions of the Twentieth En- 
gineers (Forestry) are still in this country. After much work 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

we finally got them a place on the priority list as scheduled to sail 
October 10th, but when the Ninth came along, Mitchell called 
the attention of the Chief of Staff to the fact that it was dangerous 
to send men across the ocean at this period of the year in thin 
underclothes, khaki overclothes and no overcoats. He was then 
ordered not to try and take his men across until clothing was 
available and has been scouring the country for clothes. He has 
managed to steal some from Camp Meade, at Annapolis Junction, 
Maryland, has sent his motor trucks over to Baltimore and grabbed 
some overcoats under manufacture and not yet delivered to 
the Quartermaster Department, and so on, but even now, over 
two weeks after the regiment should have been on the high seas, 
it is not outfitted." 

The Third and Fourth Battalions were authorized September 
28th, as was the 503rd Engineer Service Battalion. The Third 
Battalion was stationed at Camp Belvoir and the Fourth, initiated 
by transfers from the Third, was at the University. These two 
battalions were beset with clothing difficulties to the extent that 
recruiting for them was stopped for a time. They were given 
clothing and equipment priority over all other troops except those 
ordered overseas in October. December 7th, the War Depart- 
ment directed that the organization of the remaining six bat- 
talions be proceeded with, and the Chief of Engineers reported to 
the Chief of Staff that the Third and Fourth Battalions would be 
ready to sail about December 1 2th. December 1 5th, the Secretary 
of War reviewed the two battalions, which were sent overseas on 
January 4th. 

Regimental Headquarters was authorized September 28th and 
organized on the 1 1th of October, as follows: 

Commanding Officer Col. W. A. Mitchell 

Regimental Surgeon Maj. W. C. Moore 

Regimental Adjutant .... Capt. H. C. Bowlby 
Regimental Engineer Officer Capt. F. M. Bartelme 

Regimental Supply Officer Capt. P. E. Hinkley 

Col. Mitchell and Capt. Hinkley accompanied the first five 
battalions to the Port of Embarkation (Hoboken) to direct the 
intricate work of getting the troops properly on board ship. The 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



Colonel sailed for France with the Eighth Battalion, leaving the 
final work in connection with the Ninth and Tenth in charge of 
Lt. Col. Edwin H. Marks. 

Ten percent of the Twentieth Engineers was armed; in other 
respects the regiment carried the regular equipment. The Chief 
of Engineers recommended, however, that the troops be fully 
armed because of the probability that occasions would arise- 
wherein the forest troops would be used solely as combatant 
units. This recommendation was approved by the Adjutant 
General, who stated that the steps necessary to that end would 
be taken when arms were available. The contingency never arose 
that required such action. General Pershing directed full tentage 
for the Twentieth, because there would be no chance to billet 
them or to house them in permanent barracks and this regiment 
was one of the few to carry tents to France. 

The supplies of the Twentieth, consisting ol everything 
needed by noncomhatant troops plus the equipment of a com- 
plete logging and sawing operation, were vast in variety and 
amount. It is probable that no other organization required the 
shipment overseas of such an immense total of bulky material, 
such as sawmills, boilers, trucks, donkey engines, and railroad 
supplies. There was much difficulty experienced in getting the 
equipment shipped abroad. About December 21st, Major George 
H. Kelly investigated the situation and called the attention of 
the officer responsible to the fact that there were 1,500 men of 
the regiment overseas without sawmills, two more battalions were 
ready to sail, and enough more men assembled to make a fifth 
battalion. In fact, this very large regiment was one-half completed 
and no suitable machinery had been shipped abroad. 

The following official list sums up the departure of the bat- 
talions from the United States: 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



Hq., Hq. Det. 
Hq., Hq. Det. 
Hq., Hq. Det. 
Fourth Bn. 
Hq., Hq. Det. 
Hq., Hq. Det 
Hq., Hq. Det 
Hq., Hq. Det. 
Hq., Hq. Det. 
Hq., 1 Iq. Det 



Unit 

, and First Bn . . 
, and Second Bn 
, and Third and 



and Fifth Bn. . . 
and Sixth Bn. . . 
, and Seventh Bn 
and Eighth Bn. . 
and Ninth Bn . . 
and Tenth Bn . . 



Date of Leaving 
Camp 
Nov. 11th, 1917.. 
Nov. 11th, 1917. . 



Jan. 
Jan. 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Feb. 



2nd, 1918. 
28th, 1918. 
22nd, 1918 
15th, 1918. 
25th. 1918. 



Sailing St 
Officers 
23 
19 

44 
19 
23 
19 

22 
19 
21 



March 26th, 1918, 
May 8th. 1918. .. 

The authorized strength of the forest troops was as fol 

( )l ficers 

tenth Engineers 

Twentieth Engineers 

4 1 st Engineers 

42nd Engineers 

43 rd Engineers 

503rd Engineers 



507th Engineers . 
517th Engineers 
519th Engineers 
523rd Engineers 
5 ] 1st Engineers 
533rd Engineers 



50 
231 
28 
28 
28 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 
15 



rength 

Men 

750 

762 

195b 
758 
770 
73b 
797 
752 
865 

lows : 

Men 
15 so 

8038 

1024 
1024 
1024 
1008 
1008 
1008 
1008 
1008 
1008 
1008 



470 



19,755 



MOVEMENTS OF FOREST TROOPS TO FRANCE 



Organization 
KHh Engrs 



1st and 2nd Bns , 20th 
ird and 4th [ins , 20th 

5th Bn , 20th 

6th Bn , 20th 

7th Bn , 20th 

sili and Regtl. Hq., 20th 

9th Bn , 20th 

Kith Bn , 20th 

4 I st Lngrs 

42nd Engrs 

43rd Engrs 

503rd Engr. Serv. Bn. . . . 
507th Engr Scrv. Bn. . . 
517th Engs. Serv. Bn. . . 
519th Engr. Serv. Bn. . . 
523rd Engr Serv. Bn . . 
531st Engr Serv. Bn 

5 33rd Engr. Serv. Bn 
547th Engr. Serv. Bn 



Date of 

Sailing 

Sept 10,17 

.Nov. 11 17 
Jan. 3 is 
Jan. 31/18.. 
Jan. 24 IS 
.Feb. 12/18 

i 17, is 
Mch. 27 IS 
.May 10 IS 
I eb 26/18. 
May 10/18. 
.May 22 IS 
Ni \ 26/17. 
.Feb. 18/18 
■ July 10 18 
July 15/18.. 
July 10/18. 
June 30/18. 

\u- 26/18. 
Oct 17 18 



548th Engr. Serv. Bn.. . .Oct 27/18. 



Port of Date of 

Transport Arrival Arrival 

Carpathia Glasgow, Scotland.. .Oct 2 17 

Le Havre, France . Oct 7 17 

Madewaska St Nazaire Nov. 2S 17 

America . . . . Brest Jan 17 is 

.Calmares Brest Feb. 15 18 

.Tuscania Le Havre Mch 24 IS 

Pastores St Nazaire Meh. 4 IS 

,Mt. Vernon Brest Mch 10 IS 

Nor Pacific Brest \pi 8 is 

.Pastores Brest May 23 IS 

Olympic Le I lavre Meh. 11 IS 

Pres Lincoln . . . Brest ... May 23 IS 

I e\ iathan Brest . May 30 IS 

. Aeolus St. Nazaire ... Dec. 10 17 

G Washington Brest ...Mch. 4/18 

Aeolus Brest July 21 18 

.Nor. Pacific Brest July 22/18 

Martha Washington Brest July21/18 

Mongolia Brest July 13/18 

Mt. Vernon Brest Sept. 3/18 

Leviathan Liverpool, Lngland Nov. 3/18 

Cherbourg, France.. . Nov. 10 IK 

Minnekahda Liverpool, England Nov. 8/18 

Cherbourg, France . . . Nov. 13 18 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



The transportation to France of these twenty thousand men 
was accomplished with but one serious mishap — the torpedoing 
and sinking of the "Tuscania" — in which tragedy 95 men of the 
Sixth Battalion lost their lives. Upon arrival overseas each out- 
fit went promptly to the station to which it was assigned and got 
to work. Companies were split up into detachments in many 
instances, and in exceptional operations several companies united 
in a single large project. After the Armistice many of the units 
were moved from one operation to another to facilitate winding 
up the overseas logging. The accompanying map of France shows 
the status of the regiment under war conditions, on Nov. 11, 1918. 





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History oi mi I wentieth Engineers 



October 18th, 1918, General Order 47, Headquarters of the 
Service of Supplies, reorganized the forest forces into one regiment, 
the Twentieth Engineers, with 14 battalion headquarters, 49 
forestry companies, 28 engineer service companies (forestry), and 
2 attached engineer service battalions. In addition there were 
about 10.000 Quartermaster troops under the supervision of the 
Forestry Section of the Division of Construction and Forestry. 
The Sixth Battalion was authorized, on June 4th, 1918, to be 
increased by one company, which extra compam was organized 
by the Commanding General, A. E. F. It finally appeared in the 
Tenth Battalion, the Commander in Chief, A. E. F., having 
authority to make changes and transfers in the Twentieth En- 
gineers. A summary of the strength of the regiment follows. 

Officers Men 
[4 Battalion Headquarters and 49 Forestry 

( ompanies .'. 290 I 1,586 

28 Engineer Service Companies (Forestry) 61 6,422 

Attached Engineer Service Battalions 17 1,377 

Quartermaster Units under the direction of 

the I went nth Engineers 146 10,760 

514 10,145 

rhe original fenth, Twentieth, 41st. 42nd, and 43rd Engineers, 
the three latter having been designated as Road and Bridge 
Engineers before their adaptation to lumbering, were merged in 
the reorganization into the Twentieth Engineers proper, con- 
sisting of a regimental headquarters 14 battalion headquarters, 
and 4° forestry companies, a total strength of about 12,000. 
The 503rd, 507th, 517th, 519th, 523rd, 531st, and 533rd Engineers 
were reorganized into service companies (forestry) without 
battalion headquarters, and numbering about 6,000 men. It is 
the forestry companies and the engineer service companies 
(forestry) that together constitute the 18,000 men of the biggest 
regiment in the world, 

There retrained to be organized in the United States 15 
battalion headquarters, % forestry companies, and 36 engineer 
service companies (forestry). Of these reinforcements, 500 men 
were reported ready October 30th. 1918, and 250 more on Novem- 
ber 11th. On that date there were about 8,000 troops at Camp 
Forrest, Georgia, available for use as replacement if needed. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



TWENTIETH ENGINEERS ORGANIZATION IN FRANCE 
NOVEMBER 11 TH, 1918 

Fiml Former 

Designation Offirers Men Designation 

Regtl. Hq II 21 Hq. Tenth and 20th Engrs. 

First Bn. Hq 4 24 First Bn., 20th. 

Second Bn. Hq 4 17 Second Bn, 20th. 

IhirdBn. Hq 3 It. I hird Bn., 20th. 

Fourth Bn. Hq 3 20 Fourth Bn, 20th. 

Fifth Bn Hq i 19 Fifth Bn., 20th 

Sixth Bn. Hq i 24 Sixth Bn., 20th 

Seventh Bn Hq 3 18 Seventh Bn., 20th. 

Eighth Bn Hq 5 19 Eighth Bn., 20th. 

Ninth Bn. Hq 4 18 Ninth Bn, 20th. 

Tenth Bn Hq 3 22 I enth Bn., 20th. 

llthBn. Hq 4 21 First Bn., 10th Engrs. 

12th Bn. Hq 4 20 Second Bn., 10th Engrs. 

13th Bn. Hq 2 [8 41st Engrs. 

14th Bn Hq 4 20 43rd Engrs. 

First Forestry Co 5 243 ( !o A, First Bn., 20th. 

Second Forestry Co. . . 4 224 ( Jo. F, Second Bn , 20th. 

Third Forestry Co 3 242 ( Jo. C, First Bn., 20th. 

Fourth Forestry Co. . 5 222 Co. D, Second Bn , 20th 

Filth Forestry Co 5 223 Co E, Second Bn., 20th. 

Sixth Forestry Co 5 253 Co. F, Tenth Bn., 20th. 

Seventh Forestry Co.. . 5 22* Co. A, Third Bn., 20th. 

Eighth Forestry Co.... 4 228 Co. B, Third Bn., Oth. 

Ninth Forestry Co 5 222 ( Jo C, Third Bn , i20h 

Tenth Forestry Co. . . . 4 242 Co. E, Eighth Bn., 20th. 

1 lth Forestry Co 5 246 Co E, Fourth Bn , 20th. 

12th Forestry Co 5 239 Co. F, Fourth Bn., 20th. 

13th Forestry Co 5 22b Co. A, Fifth Bn., 20th. 

14th Forestry Co 5 222 ( ,o B. Fifth Bn, 20th. 

1 5th Forestry Co 4 223 ( Jo. C, Fifth Bn., 20th. 

16th Forestry Co 5 242 Co. D, Sixth Bn., 20th. 

17th Forestry Co 4 212 Co. E, Sixth Bn, 20th 

18th Forestry Co 5 217 Co. F, Sixth Bn., 20th 

19th Forestry Co 6 229 ( Jo A, Seventh Bn., 20th. 

20th Forestry Co. 5 227 ( ,o B. Seventh Bn., 20th 

2 Ft Forestry Co 5 2 30 ( Jo. C, Seventh Bn , 20th. 

22nd Forest y Co 6 243 Co. D, Eighth Bn., 20th. 

23rd Forestry Co 4 24b Co. D, Fo rth Bn., 20th. 

24th Forestry Co 5 237 Co. F, Eighth Bn., 20th. 

25th Forestry Co 6 246 Co A, Ninth Bn , 20th 

26th Forestry Co .... 6 233 ( Jo. B, Ninth Bn., 20th. 

27th Forestry Co 5 22^> Co. C, Ninth Bn., 20th. 

28th Forestry Co 4 240 Co. D, Tenth Bn, 20th. 

29th Forestry Co 5 241 Co. E, Tenth Bn., 20th. 

30th Forestry Co 5 228 ( Jo. B, First Bn., 20th. 

31st Forestry Co 5 133 Co. G, Tenth Bn., 20th. 

32nd Forestry Co 4 23b ( Jo. A, First Bn., 10th 

5 3rd Forestry Co 5 .'4! Co. B, First Bn., 10th. 

34th Forestry Co 5 239 ( Jo. C, First Bn., 10th 

35th Forestry Co 4 .'41 Co D, Second Bn, 10th. 



History of rHE Twentieth Engineers 



COMPANIES 



Final 
Designation Officers Men 

36th Forestry Co 3 248 Co. E, 

37th Forestry Co 5 237 Co. F, 

38th Forestry Co 4 182 Co. A, 

J9th Forestry Co 4 239 Co. B, 

40th Forestry Co 5 210 Co. C, 

41st Forestry Co 5 22 3 Co. D, 

42nd Forestry Co 5 225 Co. A, 

43rd Forestry Co 5 234 Co B 

44th Forestry Co ... 5 234 Co. C, 

45th Forestry Co 3 243 Co D 

46th Forestry Co 4 239 Co. A 

47th Forestry Co 5 238 Co. B, 

48th Forestry Co 5 222 Co. < 

49th Forestry Co 6 237 Co. D, 

total 20th 290 11,586 

FORESTRY SERVICE 

Final Designation Officers Men 

First Engr. Sen Co. (Foi 2 2 IS 

Second Engr Sen Co. (Foi 2 211 

Third 1 ngi Serv. Co Foi 234 

Fourth Engr Sen Co (For 219 
Fifth Engr Sen Co. (Foi . .. 2 

Sixth Engl Vt\ Co. (For.) 2 2 33 

Seventh Engr Sen Co (For i 2 212 

Eighth Engr Serv. Co. (For.) ! 240 

Ninth Engr. Sen Co. (For.) 3 

Tenth Engr Sen Co (For 1 250 

11th Engr Serv. Co. (For.) 3 256 

I2thEngr. Serv. Co. (For.) 3 212 

13th Engr Serv. Co (For.) 3 244 

14th Engr. Serv. Co. (For.) 3 251 

lnh Engr Sen Co Foi i 

!6thEngr. Sen Co (For.) .... 3 226 

17th Engr. Sen ( \> I ■■ 215 

18th Engr. Serv. Co. (For I 3 226 
l^th Engr Sen Co (For 3 

20th Engr. Serv. Co (For i ! 221 

21st Engr. Serv. Co (For.) 1 ,; ' 1 

22nd Engr. Serv. Co. (For.) 2 234 

S3rd Engr Serv Co (For . .-. . 3 249 

24th Engr Sen Co Foi 2 214 

25th Engr. Serv. Co. (For.) 3 235 

26th Engr. Serv. Co. (For.) 2 226 

27th En^r Serv. Co. (For.) 

28th Engr. Serv. Co. (For.) 1 

fotal, Forestry Service Co.s .. ol 6,422 



Former 
Designation 



Second Bn., 
Second Bn., 
41st Engrs. 
41st Engrs. 
41st Engrs. 
41st Engrs 
42nd Engr-s. 
42nd Engrs. 
42nd Engrs. 
42nd Engl - 
43 rd Engrs. 
43rd Engrs. 
43rd Engrs. 
43rd Engrs. 



10th. 

10th. 



Former 

Pesiun.it ion 
i\. \ SO 3rd Engr-. 
( !o B, 503rd Engrs 
Co. ( 503rd Engrs. 
Co n 503rd I 

V 507th Engrs. 

< o B, 507th I 

Co. < 507th Engrs, 
Co. D. 507th Engrs. 
Co K, 517th Engrs. 
Co IV 517th Engrs. 
Co C, 517th Engrs. 
Co. D, 517th Engrs 
Co. A. 519th Engrs. 
Co. B. 519th Engrs. 
Co C, 519th Engrs. 
Co. D, 519th Engrs 
Co. A. ^2 3rd Engrs. 
Co. B 523rd Engrs. 
Co C, 523rd Engrs. 

< \. D, 523rd Engrs. 
Co V, 531st Engrs. 
Co B 531st Engrs. 
Co C, 531st Engrs. 
Co. D, 531st Engrs. 
t lo V 5 33rd Engrs. 
Co. B. 533rd Engrs 
Co. C, 5 3 3rd Engrs. 
Co. D, 533rd Engrs. 



HlSTOFO OF THE TWENTIETH ENGINEERS 



ENGINEER SERVICE BATTALIONS ATTACHED TO 
TWENTIETH ENGINEERS 

Officers Men 

Hq., 547th Engrs 2 6 

( o A, 547th Engrs 1 171 

Co. B, 547th Engrs 2 154 

Co. C, 547th Engrs I IM 

Co. D. 547th Engrs 2 134 



otal 



626 



I Iq., 548 Engrs 3 7 

Co. A, 548th Engrs 3 179 

Co. B, 548th Engrs 1 180 

Co. C, 548th Engrs 1 199 

Co. D, 548th Engrs 1 186 

Total 9 751 

Quartermaster Units engaged upon Fuelwood Project in Advance 
Section, either in conjunction with engineer forestry projects or 
under technical supervision of forestry organization. 

$09 Labor Battalion — Det 

3 1 4 Labor Battalion — Hq. and 4 Co.'s 

320 Labor Battalion — Hq. and 4 Co.'s 

323 Labor Battalion — Hq. and Co.'s, A. B, and C 

324 Labor Battalion— Hq. and 4 Co.'s 

3 28 1 .abor Battalion — Hq. and 4 Co.'s. 

329 Labor Battalion — Co.'s C and D 

33 1 Labor Battalion — Hq. and 4 Co.'s 

332 Labor Battalion — Hq. and 4 Co.'s 

3 33 Labor Battalion — Co.'s C and D 

335 Labor Battalion — Hq. and 4 Co.'s 

342 Labor Battalion — Hq. and Co.'s A, B, and C 

Pack Trains 301, 305, 30b, 307, 318. 319, 320, 321. 322, 

323, 324, 325, 32b, 327, 328 

1 1st Wagon Co 

303rd Wagon Co. (Det.) 

304th Wagon Co 

Motor Truck Co. No. 2 



Officers 


Men 


1 


100 


12 


1,002 


17 


1.114 


13 


904 


13 


1,142 


15 


954 


9 


554 


11 


1,092 


15 


1,050 


6 


564 


16 


930 


12 


803 




210 


3 


144 




13 


2 


144 


1 


40 



Total 146 10,700 

DELIVERING THE GOODS 
The A. E. F. was in its infancy when, on November 26th, 19] 7, 
the first board was sawed in France by the forest troops. And on 
late in August, 1919, when the last of the Twentieth 
Engineers sailed for home, the A. E. F. had reached a withered 
old age. In the period of its service the regiment had spread 
widely throughout the forested regions of France, had got out the 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

lumber required, closed up its affairs in a businesslike way, and 
left behind it a unique and clean record. 

The first operations were started in the pineries of the Landes, 
in the valley of the Loire, and in the softwood forests of the 
Vosges and Jura mountains. Many of the operations were 
started temporarily with small mills obtained in France, which 
were overhauled and made to increase their rated capacities several 
times over. As rapidly as American equipment was received the 
French affairs were discarded and one of three types of our own 
mills put into service. The largest unit was a permanent and 
powerful steam plant rated at 20,000 feet in 10 hours and there 
were two portable mills used — a portable steam mill of 10,000 
feet capacity and a light bolter mill driven by steam or gas tractor 
and rated at 5,000 feet in 10 hours. Twenty of the large mills 
were erected in locations where the timber supply permitted eight 
months or more of work. Practically all the mills were kept 
going day and night, some two shifts of ten hours and some three 
eight-hour hitches. Enormous quantities of fuel wood were saved 
by the use of dutch ovens for burning sawdust. 

Standard gauge railroads up to three miles in length were 
built at two-thirds of the operations for connecting the mill 
docks with the French lines. Light railway of three-foot, meter, 
and 60 centimeter gauge were laid in great amounts with steam or 
gas locomotives, horses, or mules to pull the log trains. In the 
Vosges a narrow gauge road 4,000 feet long and with an average 
grade of 35 per cent was handled by a donkey engine. Much 
of the logging was done with horses and mules with log wagons, 
spool carts, or high wheels, and motor trucks and tractors were 
often used. 

The current monthly needs of the Army rose to 50,000,000 
feet of lumber and timbers, 250,000 railroad ties, 6,500 pieces of 
piling and cribbing, 1,500,000 poles and entanglement stakes, 
and over 100,000 cords of fuelwood. With the exception of a 
small quantity of piling and timbers for the Bassens deck, none 
of the great supply of forest products came from the United States. 
Limited quantities were obtained from France, Switzerland, and 
Norway, and some ties were obtained under contract in Spain 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

and Portugal, but the great hulk of the material was produced 
h\ the forest troops. In spite of ear shortages and other trans- 
portation difficulties the current shipments were kept up to 70 
per cent of production. 

Coming after the Canadians had become established in the 
woods of France, the Americans were obliged to scout and acquire 
stumpage in more and more inaccessible locations as time went 
on. In the summer of 1918 it was necessary to push out into the 
southern Jura region and the Central Plateau of France to obtain 
the required amounts of standing timber. Nearly all of the 
country south of the northern provinces was scouted and the 
work even extended into the Pyrennes and the French Alps to 
provide for the operations of the 24th; additional forest troops 
approved by the War Department in September. At the Armistice, 
630,000,000 feet of timber and 700,000 cords of fuel wood had 
been acquired and half as much located and in the process of 
purchase. 

Preparations for the St. Miheil and Argonne Drives kept the 
regiment at it with even greater intensity, ties and planks and 
stakes being needed in immense quantities and in a tremendous 
hurry. Leaves were hardly considered during the tense months 
of 1918. More pressure and still more was the order of the days. 
Men got out after supper and hewed ties on their own time; 
they worked all night repairing railroads and mills; they loaded 
cars Sundays; and they hit the ball ten hours a day in the driving 
rain and in the scorching sun. with very often the additional 
handicap of hunger. 

Wagon tongues, wood for artificial limbs, aircraft spruce, tent 
pins, bunk lumber, were special jobs clone by the regiment. At 
first many of the outfits were under canvas, but as the second 
winter approached squad houses were made. Machine shops, 
kitchens, Y. M. C. A. huts, stables and in fact everything down to 
furniture and picture frames was made at the camps by the men. 
Even a surf board was ordered for one of the battalion com- 
manders, and it was duly and promptly turned out and delivered. 

Detachments of trained woods men were needed with the armies 
at the Front and these forces were furnished by the regiment 



I llMORY OI- Till: TWENTIETH ENGINEERS 



Several of the outfits were under fire at different tin:es and two 

officers were killed by enemy machine gunners as they were looking 

for mill locations. These operations with the First and Second 

Armies covered a period of three months in the Argonne and 

Toul Sectors, during which time the following Was produced: 

I umber, ft B. M 2,364,246 

Standard t ies, pieces 

Small tics, pieces 

Misc. round products and piling, pieces 
I ik Iwi k >J, stores 

rOTAl i i I OF 1 OR1 STIO SE< I [ON 
Deo mber 1. 1917 to April 1. 1919 

Lumber, Standard 

Ft Gauge Res 

K \l Pieces 

r,\ l unit » working fi i \m I I 212,528,000 '.('1 I, '95 

IU Units working fori rench \miv 5,065,000 210,124 

Bj Units working for British Arm> 1,853,000 228,130 



54,574 
$6,826 
1 ( > ,^>2 s 
23,030 



Small 


\lisc Round 


Fuel- 


Tics 


Produc is 


V, ( K <J 


1 'ieces 


Pieces 


Stei es 


953,374 


1,883,504 


,1 1 >4.S17 


219,366 


127,598 


64,049 


64,025 


1 1,102 


12,295 



12,446,000 $.450,049 1,237,265 2,025,204 1,271,161 
rhe Units working for the Am 1 I alsocut (9,095 pieces of piling 

SI MMARY 

The greatest number o\ active operations at any one time was 
in October. 1918, when there were 1 07 (one hundred seven) mills 
ol varying capacity operating in 14 districts. The District or- 
ganization, as oH November 11. 1918, together with going opera- 
tions, arc listed below. 

BAl GE DISTRICT Capt. Karl Vail 

Men 

I Jauge \ laine et I .one . . 150 

Bucj Si I iphard I oiret ... 96 

Le Gavn I oir et ("her 159 

I e 1 ude Sarthe 73 

Marchenoir Loire! Cher 308 

Milly Seine et Oise 47 

R< nnes Ille et Vilaine 222 

S( Denis des Gastines Mayenne 56 

CHATEAUROUX DISTRICT . . . Capt. Henry A. Maas 

\\ orking for the French Army) 

Men 
Chateauroux Indre (Hq. onlj 21 

La Poinconnct — Indre 235 

X font — Loir ct Cher 232 

Ambrault — Indre 235 



History of the Twentieth Enginm p 



BOURGES DISTRICT Maj. P. E. IIinmfy 

Men 

Bourgcs — Cher (Hq. only) 25 

Chenonceaux — Indre ct Loire 274 

Coulcuvrc -Allier. 323 

I^i Celle Bruere — Cher t65 

La Fcrte St. Aubin -Loiret 20 

Mur dc Sologne - Loire et Cher . . 270 

Pruniers — Loir et Cher 98 

GIEN DISTRICT Capt. John P. Lynch 

Men 

Gien — Loiret 158 

Brinon sur Sauldre -Cher 506 

Donzy — Nievre 123 

Moulins Lngilbcrt - --Nievre 7 C > 

Sublignv Vifleroj Yonne. 648 

Urzy— Nievre. .' 98 

ECLARON DISTRICT Maj. F. F. Spencef 

Men 
Eclaron — Haute Marne. 2.172 

Bricon — Haute Marne . 08 

EPINAL DISTRICT Maj. S. O. Johnson 

Men 

Epinal— Vosges '1 lq onlj I. 21 

Bains les Bams Vosges 424 

Brouvelieures — Vosges 495 

Chatenoi — Vosges. 227 

Cornimont -Vosges 420 

Gerardmcr — Vosges 295 

Gironcourt — Vosges . . 228 

La Marche — Vosges 367 

Vagnev — Vosges 466 

DIJON DISTRICT Maj H. W. Sanborn 

Men 
Duon ' otc d'Oi <\ lq onl- 19 

Beze— Cote d'Or 101 
Clamerev — Cote d'Or . 57 

Collonges -■( !ote d'Or ^28 

Esmoulins — Haute Saone .... £14 

Gissey Soussey Cote d'Oi 146 

Mirebeau — Cote d'Or 72°* 

Sauvigney les Gray — Haute Saone . . . b35 

Selongey — Cote d'Or 31 

Seveux — Cote d'Or. . 105 

St. Julien— Cote d'Or 583 

Velet— 1 laute Saone 132 

BESANCON DISTRICT Maj. Evan W. Kelly 

Men 

Besancon — Doubs (Hq. only) 24 

Arc Sous Montenot — Doubs 191 

Avoudrey — Doubs 1 65 

Baume les Dames — Doubs 43 

Vaux et Chantegrue — Doubs 1 84 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



Etalans Doubs I'M 

Levier Doubs 399 

Maison du Bois Doubs 175 

Morteau Doubs 244 

Nods Doubs 122 

B01 RG DISTRICT Maj. F. R. Barns 

\ len 

Bourg \m (I lq onl\ I 22 

Brenod Am 239 

Moutto I )< iub 254 

I I PI ,• DISTRICT Maj F M Barti lmi 

\K n 

I i Pu\ I [aute I oire i 1 lq only) 24 

Mural ( antal 245 

1 ARK I I DISTRICT Maj. F. S. Ki llogg 

(Prioi toOctober I. 1918, worked/oi British at Castets-Landes) 

Men 



1 abut 1 andes 


447 




( 'apt u u (. iironde 


265 




' IX i )ISTRICT 


. . Maj. i 
Men 


[OHN 1 \l "ON 


Pontenx les 1 < »i g< - 1 andes 


739 




Bourricos 1 andes 


' 'S 




Sabres 1 andes 






Sore Landes 


128 





MIMIZAN DISTRICT Capt. S. C Phipps 

Men 
Mimizan-les-Bains Lande; 1 1 lq only).... 25 

Pendelle I andes 126 

I amanchs 1 andes 

Pleyres I andes 306 

Bias 1 andes 228 

I >\\ DIS IRK I' Maj W. D. Brookini i 

Men 

Da> 1 in It (Hq only) 28 

\kK I andes 

Vrengo I indes ' '" 

( andale I andes 245 

I l< lueilles 1 <>t et ( Jaronne 122 

St \\ ii 1 andes 120 

ORGANIZATION OF 2*1111 ENGINEERS 

(FORI s| ry) 

Brig Generai Edgar Jadwin Coi I \. Woodruff 

I mi. toi "i ( -nst met ion & Forestry C O, 20th Engrs. & Dep. Dir. C. & F. 

CENTRA1 HEADQI XklbRS. ENGINEERS (FORESTRY) 

' ["ours France) 

I ii i i Coi W B Greeley 

t hu i Fon ii' S< . t ion 



1 llMnlO OF llll- fwENTIl III ENGINE1 I' 



7 C( hnit it Equipment 

\i quisilion oj Timber and Operation Supplies I 'rodut t and Shipment 

Lieut.-Col. Greeley Lieui ( i »i Kelli Lieut. -Coi |ohi 

Maj. Woolsey Maj. Kiefef Maj Gra 

( mm I I \i i Capi .Wo Capt. L \mmi 

LlEl l.l A-i I i l| 

Fuelwood Proje< I \d\ an< 
Lieut.-Coi Peck ■ Bri i i 

Maj. Sti api ( '.aim Kittredgi 

Military Administration Personnel 
Capt. G. P. Graham 
Adjutant 
\\ elf are 
Chaplain Williams 

SECTION FORESTRY OFFICEF SI CTION I >RESlTO 01 FK I R 

BASE SECTION NO. 2 ADVANCE SECTION 

I m ' i ( ml Beni i Lieut. -Col. Ci iapman 

Maj. W L. LaLonde 

nisi PL l S DISTRICTS 

Pontenx Mimizan inal Eclaron 

I )ax Labrit Dijon I ■'. ancon 

POST-ARMISTICE DAYS 
I he regiment reached its maximum production in October, 
1918, but when the news came to the camps thai the Germans 
had signed on the dotted line things kept right on as a rule until 
the next day when a good time was had by all. One earnest C. 
O. declined to give his permission for the men to give vent to their 
joy by tieing down the mill whistle for a few minutes, because the 
sounds would reach the woods crews and call them in. As a 
general thing logging came to a close soon after the Armistice, 
scattered clumps of timber being levelled off to make a neat job 
Shipments from the well filled yards had to continue for months 
and sawing kept up while the surplus of logs lasted. The old 
lenth Engineers were fortunate in getting sailing orders early 
in January, but there was a discouragingly long gap between their 
departure and the sailing of the next in line. The C. in C. wanted 
the French roads fixed, and it fell to the lot of the Twentieth 
Engineers to do a lot of that. They felt that they were being 
kept after school for no good reason and that the sight of home 
and mother's cooking would help exit a lot. The Burned Area 
was saddled on their tired backs in addition to other clean-up 
work and it was six long mc:nths after the Armistice before the 
exodus began in reality. 



Regimental Headquarters 

Although formation of the Twentieth Engineers was authorized 
August 15, 1917, the first assignment of enlisted men to a Head- 
quarters detachment was Oct. 1 1, and it was not until a month 
later that the unit assumed permanent organization. All through 
the training period in Washington, changes in personnel were 
frequent, both in officers and men. Early plans for overseas 
movement called for headquarters to accompany the Tenth 
Battalion, but it was finally decided to rout the organization across 
w ith the Eighth. A small unit, in charge of Lt.-Col. Marks, were 
left to report the last two Battalions ready, and Headquarters, 
Colonel Mitchell in command, sailed with the Eighth Battalion, 
February 27, 1918, abroad the transport "Mt. Vernon." Twelve 
days later they debarked at Brest and made the customary 
pilgrimage to Pontanezan. 

Three muddy days in rest camp, and ten more at Genicart, 
and the Detachment reached their permanent station at Tours, 
the historic city on the Loire, where Headquarters of the Service 
of Supplies was developing. The voluminous work of co-or- 
dinating the activities of the Regiment necessitated many in- 
creases in the strength of the detachment, men and officers being 
drawn from several of the Battalions. Shortly before the Armistice 
the long-planned amalgamation of Forestry troops was con- 
summated. By the terms of General Order 47, Hq. S. O. S., 
October 18, 1918, the 10th, 20th, 41st, 42nd, and 43rd Engineers 
were consolidated as the 20th, and the Regimental Headquarters 
increased in strength to 1 1 officers and 82 men. 

The armistice affected headquarters routine but little. It 
was a foregone conclusion that the unit would stay overseas to the 
finish, and though several of the Regimental executives manageel 
to draw sailing orders on various terms, the detachment was 
practically intact when ordered south to assume charge of the 
fragments of the Forestry forces in the Landes. 

Arriving at Pontenx, which had been in turn the base of the 
11th, 4th and 10th Battalions, Headquarters picked up the 
rearguard of the Burnt Area and Dax contingents, and departed 
lor the Bordeaux embarkation area late in June. The augmented 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



force, totalling about 100 men, filtered through the delouser 
July 2, and hoarded the transport "Santa Eliza" July 5th. 

The homeward voyage was not all fair sailing. Defects in the 
engines had developed on the outward voyage, and when the 
vessel left the Gironcle it was with orders to proceed to Brest and 
transfer its troops to another ship. Arriving at Brest, the ship 
shortage led the authorities to order the "Santa Eliza" to make 
the passage in her crippled condition, and, pausing only to fill 
all the staterooms assigned to the detachment non-coms with 
casual officers, and to quarter the non-coms in turn, in troopspace 
shared with a group of general prisoners, including the execrated 
"Hard-boiled Smith, the ship started for America, clocking at 
New York, July 20, 1919. The outfit was demobilized at Camp 
Mills, their final scattering marking the dissolution of the largest. 
and undoubtly the best-known regiment of the United States 
Army. 




wnm 







■ 








:i 7; OMENTAL HDQ7J- ' . ' ' \ : , 

: VIP AMERICAN UA - W. B.C.. 




Loading 1'k vilers With Log Jammi r 




Moving Overi \m> 




I ' Mori i mjer 




, ; -. Largi ' z Co OU1 17RE 




Mill \l MllK II Mil K 




Tractors Hauling Trailers, St. Iu.ua 




■■hW '« tc^T*** ** 




-If? *«w 



MKn:lnPi|nPj^fl 




The Bassens Dock.', Bordeaux 

Where some of our forestry products were utilized. 

Scene taken as U. S. S. "Zeelandia" started for home with 3rd and 4th Battalions. 




Lor, Landing on Laki \- reilhan 
Co. B, 10th Engineer*. (U. S. Official.) 




Interior of Mill, Ciez Coulouture 
1st Detachment, 10th Engineers. 




St. Julien Camp ok Co E, 10th Engineers 




THE PAR A&E GWDUNB 
AT LA B2SQQ&ETTE '• 





TfflE CffiC&S TENT- 




FA JAMAS- 




A TYPICAL MMGHT-QF-MAY 

AT ST fcZSZAltlE- 



C COS. 
<&UA7ffl> MO USE. 



THE 1 ST MM 1® W EN<ZRX 





BMEST 
MUB- 




THE 




FINI THE 2 s T ]3N° AT 
CA&F STEMABT VA* 



"C C&3- 
BARRACKS 




EEC/i SCENE 
NEWJEESEY 



; .•„.. 




THE AZ&ME& 



MOMEWAHB 'M&UJVE) I^BM-M^ENCiRX 



The Tenth Engineers 

The Tenth Engineers (Forestry I was one of the pioneer unil 
in the new war Army of the United States. The formation of this 
unique body of engineers v. as commenced in May, 19 17, the 
lizaticn and recruiting being very largely accomplished by 
the Forest Service, from which also came an important percentage 
of the personnel. The two battalions were formed by the lsl ol 
August at American University at which camp they were among 
the newcomers, and from then until September 8th was spent in 
military drill and equipping. Sunday, the 9th of September, the 
regiment marched to Roslyn where it entrained for Jersey City, 
arriving there the morning of the 10th. berried across to the 
Cunard pier on the New York side of the Hudson and boarding 
the "Carpathia," the first forest troops left for France on the 
evening of the same daw On hoard were the Second Engineers 
only besides the foresters. 

Two days more and the Carpathia reached Halifax, N. S., 
where the formation of a convoy was in progress. ( )n the 21st 
the convoy of thirteen ships, some with Australian and Canadian 
troops aboard, headed for England in three columns. The 
"Carpathia" enjoyed a voyage unmolested by enemy subs and 
upon arrival at Glasgow, en the ( Hyde the American troops aboard 
were received by the Scotch with enthusiasm. These were the 
first Yanks to land in the historic city and the excitement was 
intense as the soldiers of the new Ally disembarked. 

A few clays were spent in camp at Southampton, and on the 
night of October 6th the regiment crossed the Channel on "I. a 
Marguerite," arriving in Havre at 5 o'clock in the morning. A 
short period was spent in a British "rest camp'' at Havre and at 
10 P. M. a thirty-six hour boxcar ride began which carried the 
men past the palace of Versailles and set them clown in Nevers, 
almost in the center of France. Two weeks were spent in the 
mud there while the arrival of motor and sawmill equipment from 
the "Carpathia'' was awaited, during which time the inevitable 
drill was indulged in extensively. Only a part of the regiment s 
equipment had arrived on the "Carpathia." 

The immediate needs of the vigorous young A. E. F. were such 
as to require the forest troops to be split into several part 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



service in widely-separated regions of France. Two battalion 
headquarters were established by the 1st of November, one at 
Pontenx-les-Forges in the Landes pines and the other in the fir 
region, at Levier (Doubs). The logging equipment was at that 
time very incomplete and some of the detachments were reduced 
to the expediment of hauling logs by manpower. The first mill 
to begin operations was a small French affair that bit into the first 
log sawed by American forest troops on November 25th, 1917, at 
Levier. Two days later the Mortumier operation, near Gien 
(Loiret) started the first American mill. During the month of 
December a large part of the work was necessarily confined to 
the production of round products. Two French and one American 
mills were under way by the first of the month and before the end 
of December two American and four French mills were at work. 
The December production, all to the credit of the Tenth Engineers, 
was as follows: Lumber, 321,000 F. B. M.; Piling, 205 pieces; 
Ties, 12,031 pieces; Poles, 20,025 pieces; Logs, 33,864 pieces; Cord- 
wood, 4,164 steres (cubic meters); Fagots, 1,500 steres. 

The early distribution of the regiment may be briefly sum- 
marized as follows, together with the first stations that each 
detachment held and the designations given the companies after 
the reorganization of the forest troops consolidated them all 
under the Twentieth Engineers. The old designations will be 
used as a rule. 

Regimental Headquarters — Tours, merged with Hq. of 
Twentieth. 

First Bn. Hq. — Pontenx, Eleventh Bn. 

Co. A. — Thirty-second Co. — yi Pontenx District ; ' _. Brittany. 

Co. B. — Thirty-third Co. — Pontenx District. 

Co. C. — Thirty-fourth Co. — Pontenx District. 

Second Bn. Hq. — Levier, later Besancon, in the Doubs, 
Twelfth Bn. 

Co. D. — Thirty-fifth Co.— Arc-sous-Montenot (Doubs). 

Co. E. — Thirty-sixth Co. — 1 / 2 Vaney (Cote d'Or) ; % at Gien 
(Loiret). 

Co. F. — Thirty-seventh Co. — Levier (Doubs). v 
One-half of Co. A, known also as the Third Detachment, 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



Tenth Engineers, and as The Kelly Outfit," consisted of about 
130 men, later reinforced by men from the Third and Fourth 
Battalions, Twentieth Engineers. The Detachment built a 
camp at Bellevue, near Pontenx, (known as "Kellyville" in 
recognition of the energetic commanding officer), where it was 
joined by the reinforcements of the Twentieth from Blois early 
in February. The first mill was a small and inefficient piece ol 
machinery but it sufficed to turn out lumber for the construction 
of the camp buildings and the new 20-M American mill which 
was completed in the latter part of March, and started on two 
10-hour shifts. At about the time of the completion of the large 
mill. Lt. Kelly was killed in a motorcycle accident while hastening 
for spare parts. 

The mill averaged from 27.000 feet of inch boards to 45,000 
feet of other lumber each shift. The head sawyer (Johnson, from 
Mississippi) was a buck private until only a few months before 
the outfit went home. At first teams were used to haul logs into 
the mill, but a steam engine was soon substituted. A detachment 
of Co. D, Forty-first Engineers, was added to the strength of the 
operation in May. With the strength of a full company, the opera- 
tion kept six or eight crews in the woods and averaged 80 to 100 
logs a day each. 

Jn September, the Detachment left for a new station at Sore, 
a small place near the town of Labouheyre, an important junction 
on the Midi line from Bordeaux to Madrid, Spain, being relieved 
at Pontenx by the balance of the Forty-first Co. The Sore 
operations was carried on until the Detachment joined the rest 
of the First Battalion on its homeward journey. 

Se 1 eral of the companies of the Regiment were reinforced by 
transfers from the Twentieth, and were soon up to the new war 
strength. The Regimental strength, after reinforcement, was 
1 ,485 men and 34 officers. 

Company B was assigned to what was perhaps the most 
unusual operation of any attempted by the forest troops. The 
20-M American mill was built on the east shore of Lake Aureilhan, 
opposite the shooting lodge of "is Gryce," the Duke of West- 
minster, and five miles west of the village of Pontenx Part ol 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



the company operated the mill ; the rest of the men were stationed 
in what was known as "the river camp,'' four miles northwest. 
A narrow gauge railroad took the logs to the river on which they 
were driven to the lake. At the mouth of the river booms were 
built and the logs were rafted across to the mill by means of a 
24-foot French motorboat. After 13 months of operation the 
Armistice came along and on Armistice day essential parts of 
the mill were thrown into the lake, stopping the works. Shortly 
after the end of 1918, the outfit left for home with the other 
Pontenx units of the Regiment, and other troops took over the 
Aureilhan mill. 

Company C built camp and mill at La Broquette, a hamlet 
one mile east of St. Eulalie ("Ukelele") and three miles west of 
Pontenx. Three miles of narrow gauge were built to haul pro- 
duction to the main line at Pontenx. The mill, a 20-M American 
plant, was completed in February. Forty men and a shavetail 
from Company A of the 42nd Engineers arrived to reinforce the 
operation early in June. 

A few of the red letter days at Pontenx are here given to 
recall some of the big events. April loth Captain Guthrie left 
his command, to the sincere regret of these with whom he had 
served. May oth brought Elsie Janis to cheer the homesick ones 
with the sight and sound of a real live American girl. During 
April and May drill was enjoyed after working hours, on Sundays, 
and Saturday afternoons. Decoration Day the First Battalion 
of the Tenth defeated the Fourth Battalion of the Twentieth in 
baseball, 2 to 1 . June 14th brought new orders for no more week- 
end passes to Arcacahon, no overnight passes, and blouses were 
required to be worn when not working. 

The appreciation of the men for several blessings, shared 
alike with all the grateful forest troops, should go on record. 
Chaplain Williams has a friend in every man of the forest forces. 
Friendly, fair, and forceful, he was found to be a man who knew 
what the men needed and how to get it. The Chaplain was in the 
habit of paying little visits of a few days' duration to each camp, 
living in camp and "observing all that took place w ithin sight or 
hearing." He noted cases of mistreatment, of inadequate provision 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



for the safety and comfort of the men and after he had gone some- 
how things mysteriously improved. At one time a letter from a 
mere Corporal to the Senior Chaplain started an investigation of 
officers' mess finances in one outfit that had most satisfactory 
results — to the enlisted men. In one instance the negligence of a 
megacephalic battalion commander was working a hardship on 
the men in the woods and his personal example was unsatisfactory 
in the extreme. The Senior Chaplain noted all these things, and 
shortly after his departure a Colonel with a strange but determined 
countenance suddenly appeared in the woods camps. In a few 
days the battalion commander was on his way. 

Another boon to the woods-bound lumberjack was the oxer- 
seas woman. The men were appreciated, especially a certain jazz 
band and the First Army Quartet. But the real thing was the femi- 
nine element in the traveling troupes of entertainers and in the 
canteens of the leave areas. The Mademoiselle Cappelles and the 
Elsie Janises and the sweet, sisterly Y-girls were 100 proof in the 
eyes of Pvt. P. V. Stock, Engineer (Forestry). 

The Tenth Engineers at and around Pontenx were intimately 
concerned with the fire that produced the Burned Area. One of 
the men tells the story of the fire as follows: 

We heard that the fire started close to Bourricos and that it 
was extinguished by A Company. In the mad desire to cut more 
so-called lumber, all the men were sent back to the mill and no one 
w as left to watch the fire. On September 6th the smoke of the fire 
could be seen from C Company. In the afternoon it was a wonder- 
ful sight- the air was perfectly calm and an immense volume of 
black smoke after reaching a certain altitude became white and 
looked like hard ice cream. 

Six o'clock, and still no word to go fight the fire. The night 
shift went to work as usual although the flames could plainly 
be seen. At 10 P. M. the whole company was taken to Pontenx 
on the lumber train, thence to Bourricos on the standard-gauge, 
and thence to the fire on A Company's logging road. By that time 
the wind had risen and it was impossible to stop the fire. All 
through the night we fought alonri the sides and back of the fire. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



The Canadian camp was burned but they managed to save the 
mill. By the next afternoon the fire had burned itself out. 

Thus was the Burned Area burned. Some accounts say that 
the Mayor of the town of Lue was unpopular and that some of 
the resin-gatherers set fire to his forest from spite ; that the nat ives 
fought the flames until their wine gave out and then retired in 
favor of the Canadians and Yanks. Be that as it may, on Novem- 
ber 17th forty-eight men of C Company left for a new camp in 
the "'Black Forest'' to build railroad, and forty went to Bourricos 
to work from there. Fifteen more went to the "Black Forest'" on 
December 6th, and on the 21st men brought out tales of prison 
camp conditions existing there under the regime established by 
the anathematised construction officer. Some of these post- 
armistice irritations, such as being marched to work, not allowed 
to leave camp, absence of any comforts, and lots of mud, were 
received with surprise and indignation by the members of the 
pioneer forest regiment. 

Company D was stationed at Arc-sous-Montenot (Doubs), 
six miles from Levier and F Company, from the beginning until 
August, 1918, when it moved to Morteau. A 20-M American mill 
was built; a French meter gauge railway was taken over; and a 
logging camp made at Le Russev, b miles away. Here the com- 
pany stayed until New Year's Day, 1919, when it left for Brest. 

Company E, Second Battalion, was split into two detachments 
upon leaving Ne vers October 2"5rd, 1917. The company organiza- 
tion with 90 men was assigned to operate at Vanvey (Cote d'Oi > 
100 miles northeast of Nevers. Fogging began at once, and a 
10-M mill started sawing December 15th. March 15th, 1918, the 
outfit was reinforced by Company B, 41st Engineers. By July 
1st the Vanvey tract was cleaned up and the detachment moved 
to St. Julian (Cote d'Or), 50 miles further south and 10 miles 
north of Dijon, where a 20-M mill was built to operate in hard- 
wood. Cutting stopped November 20th and December was spent 
in drilling and re-equipping w ith modern packs, etc. At 5 A. M., 
January 1st, 1919, the detachment started for Brest, arriving 
there at noon of the 4th. 

The other half-company of "E," known as the First Detach- 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



merit. Tenth Engineers, left Nevers October 25th. 1917 and took 
station at Gien (Loiret). Their operation commenced at Mortu- 
mier. 5 miles away. A 10-M mill was built and sawing was started 
at 9 A. M., November 29th, 1917. being the first lumber cut by 
U. S. troops with American machinery. December 24th. 40 men 
of Company A. 503rd Engineers were added to the strength and 
on March 11th. 1918, 40 men of Company B. 507th Engineers 
(colored) were added. During the March and April offensive the 
outfit was hair-triggered for service at the front, but it was not 
called. 

During the summer the detachment had its share of forest fire 
fighting. August 22nd the operation at Mortumier was finished 
and the outfit moved to Ciez-Colloutre (Nievre) by motor truck, 
erecting the same mill used on their first "chance. " Company 
C. 321st Labor Battalion (colored) was assigned to the operation 
for fuel wood production, and in October. 1918. Battery C. 48th 
Coast Artillery, was ajso put on fuel wood. The total strength ol 
the operation was oxer 800 men. December was spent in organiz- 
ing for return to the States, although the mill continued to run 
until January 9th. 1919. ow ing to failure to receive the necessary 
orders to quit. The detachment pulled out for Brest January 
10th. where it rejoined the ether half-company January 13th. 

Company F went directly from Nevers to Levier iDcubs) and 
has the distinction of having sawed the first board cut by Americans 
in France, the 25th of November on a small French mill. The 
region was high and cold, being near to the boundary of Switzer- 
land. The company came home with D. E. and the northern 
detachment of Company A. 

The following item, from the Second Battalion Headquarters 
. Besancon) section of the '"Old Tenth Engineers Hoboken Sheet" 
printed by Chaplain Williams at the Regiment's headquarters in 
Tours, is of interest: "The 37th Company (formerly F Com- 
pany ) in honor of their big cut, 93,000 in ten hours, gave a banquet, 
but the headquarters detachment was forced to decline the 
invitation which, by the way. was not given, in view of the fact 
that napkins were not available." 

The Second Battalion, Tenth Engineers, marched to the 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



naval basin at Brest on the 28th of January, 1919, and embarked 
on the cruiser "North Carolina." New York was reached 
February 9th, debarkation was at Hoboken, and the last "good- 
bye, good luck, God bless you" said at Camp Mills, February 12th, 
1919. 

AFTER THE ARMISTICE 

"We received the news yesterday that the Armistice had 
been signed and of course the French people here went just wild, 
the same as every other place in France. They burned the 
Kaiser in effigy in Pontenx and had a big lantern parade. The 
thing that makes me sore is that they did not allow the mills to 
shut down and give die men a chance to celebrate. One of our 
men stole the big nut off the saw mandrel, and we had to shut 
down until we found it." So reports "The Hoboken Sheet." 

In general, the experiences of each outfit after the Armistice 
and on the homeward voyage were quite similar in many respects 
The following story of the homegoing of the hirst Battalion, 
Tenth Engineers, may be taken as fairly typical of all: 

NOVEMBER 11th. 1918 FEBRUARY 7th, 1919. 

The justly famous news of the signing of the well-known 
Armistice reached Pontenx-les-For it 2:30 P. M. and La 

Broquette Camp shortly afterwards. However, it stuck there. 
having no effect on the operation of the mill; and the woods 
crews knew nothing of it until they came in to supper. The 
order went out from District Headquarters that the mills were to 
run as usual that night. But at C Company someone very 
thoughtfully removed the nut from the head saw, thus enabling 
the night shift to celebrate. Pontenx was not able to put on a 
very large show, but despite the worthy efforts of a large number, 
it did not go dry. On the proverbial morning after, activities 
started up as usual although there were ciuite a few familiar 
faces missing. At nine o'clock came word from Bordeaux that a 
holiday was declared for 24 hours. A few hours later arrange- 
ments were made for the battalion to go to Mont de XIarsan. the 
capital of the Landes, and most of the officers, the band, and some 
o\ the men went to assist in the celebration there. A few adven- 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



turous spirits made Bordeaux. One of these, in his desire not to 
cause work for any M. P., left the bosom of his breeches impaled 
on a fence surrounding the Care du Midi. 

For several days work went on as if the war had just begun, 
but on November 17th began the Battle of the Black Forest. 
Thanksgiving was observed in quite a crcelitable manner. The 
missing members of C Company returned from the Black Forest 
lor dinner. That night came the news that the First Battalion 
was to be ready to leave December 15th. But work contii 
as usual. Soon after, the men who had been on detached service 
came drifting in from all over France, including a member of C 
Company who had started for the Front several months before 
but landed on a rock pile in northern France. A little drilling w as 
done at the various camps to prepare for the triumphal parade- 
down Fifth Avenue — or maybe Pennsylvania! 

On December 19th came orders to be reaely to leave on the 
26th, and a few days later the expeditionary force of C Company 
returned from the Black Forest with many tales of woe. The 
4x4x1 2's came to most of the fellows before Christmas, which was 
in strong contrast with the experience of a package the year 
before which was mailed November 1st anel arrived in Pontenx 
May 25th. (No, it didn't have a service stripe!) Christmas 
was not enjoyed to the fullest extent due to the breathless ex- 
pectation of everyone, although the Y did its best by presenting 
each man with a package. In the meantime the battalion was 
doing clean-up work mornings and drilling evenings. 
THE HOMEWARD TREK 

On December 30th the homegoing began. The trip did not 
begin as a luxurious and speedy journey. Those members of the 
battalion (33 1-3%) who had been transferred from the Third 
and Fourth Battalions had sent all their modern equipment to 
the front, so now they tieel up their blankers with string anel 
stuffed toilet articles into pockets. It was a variegated spectacle — 
some wore raincoats, some ponchos, some overcoats, some macki- 
naws, and some blouses. Stains and holes were frequent among 
the uniforms. The 40 Hommes 8 Chevaux were rather congested 
and some of the companies were not prudent enough to bring 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

along the straw from their ticks, thus causing them to sit upon 
a cold, cold floor. In addition to the hard-tack and willie there was 
issued for three da (one pound) of jam to each 55 men 

and one can oi baked beans to each 16 men ' 

At 10 50 A. \1. the train pulled out of Pontenx and no loud 
cheers were noticable from the few members of the Twentieth 
scattered about. Bordeaux was reached about dusk, and although 
the train remained two hours, the enlisted men were not allowed 
i to the Red Cross canteen for supper. Of course the officers 
were in the station dining room. Furthermore, the Red Cross, 
hearing of the plight of the battalion, was preparing sandwiches 
to take to the train when the battalion < fficers interfered, saying 
the men had plenty to eat 

During the night Rochefort and La Rochelle were passed and 
the next morning the Province ^( Vendee presented its rolling 
hill, stone walls and windmills to those who could get their 
faces into the car doorways. La Roche-sur-Yon was passed, and 
about noon the flat-wheeled special arrived at Nantes The 
R. T. O. there very kindlj served hot coffee. Just before dark, 
the train stopped to rest in the yards at Random, where a carfull 
of apples, consigned to the British Army, on a nearby track, 
proved \er\ refreshing to the jaded appetites o\ the men. 

\t nine o'clock, Vannes was reached, and the "V welcomed 
us with real honest-to-goodness coffee with sugar and cream. 
! candies were also handed out. The lean Georgian 
secretary and the tat I e\an dispensed real southern hospitality. 
Short 1\ before midnight Loricnt was reached and it was there 
that 1919 crept up on the travel-worn warriors. About eight the 
next morning we pulled into beautiful Chateaulin, and with the 
help of some G. I. cans and scraps oi wood, near-coffee was served 
in the railroad yards. After passing through the steep hills of 
Brittany the train rolled in about two o'clock to Brest, where 
the Third and I ; ourth Battalions had arrived a year before. 

Needless to say it was raining. Some Afro-American com- 
rades served lunch and were \er\ generous with the beans. 1 hen 
i the five-mile hike to the alleged Rest Camp. Arriving at 
dark, B and C Companies were herded into an enclosure nearly 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



a hundred yards square, while Headquarters and A Company 
shared a similar one nearby. I he depth of the mud varied. Most 
of the tents leaked, but a few had wooden half-floors; and supper. 
lights, water, sanitary arrangements were non-existent. 

The next day some duck boards were secured, also some 
Sibley stoves and a little coal dust. By mixing fragments of the 
tent floors with the coal it was possible to keep a smoke going. 
Later mattresses and extra blankets were doled out, but the food 
deteriorated, several different kitchens being tried and each new 
one worse than the last. Half a cup of coffee and one slice of bread 
was the limit outside of the slum. January 4th the Second 
Battalion and the other half of A (Company arrived and were 
quartered neraby. 

January oth the Battalion arose at five o clock and in heavy 
marching order went through a kitchen and secured breal 
After leaving their packs at Pontanezen Barracks, the gn 
part of the Battalion was marched to Brest and taken out to the 
I S. S. "New Hampshire" to assist in coaling her. Hopes ran 
high — there really seemed to be a chance of leaving. The sailors 
of the battler had never been in France before and they were regaled 
with many tales, several of them true: but this was only in revenge 
for what was endured on the trip over. On the ship there was a 
chance to wash one's hands and to eat real meals; but alas! 
after supper the detail was set ashore and haltingly worked its 
way back to camp in the mud, sleet, wind and rain. Eventually 
the new barracks were reached and the men informed that their 
packs were somewhere therein and good night and pleasant 
dreams — no fires and no lights' 

In the meanwhile there had been many details, both day and 
night, one lasting for 15 hours. If a man could produce a cootie 
he could get a bath; otherwise, nothing doing. New equipment 
was issued by fragments and the Fighting Tenth received its 
first issue of tin hats. Xo gas masks were issued, although there 
was need of them in the rear of several of the kitchens. January 
9th the companies were paraded for five minutes during the 
funeral of Theodore Roosevelt. The next day brought the final 
inspection by the camp officers. January 1 2th, A and B Companies 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



helped coal the U. S. S. "New Jersey." On the 14th the Bat- 
talion hiked to the docks and after the usual ceremonies embarked 
on the tender "Tudno" and were taken to the "New Jersey." 

The quarters were on the gun deck; each compartment sup- 
ported two layers of hammocks and a layer of springs on the deck. 
Eating was done in the boudoir, the tables being tucked against 
the ceiling when not in use. The 480th and 481st Aero Squadrons 
(Instruction) and an ordinance repair shop that had been attached 
to the Coast Artillery were aboard, as well as a few casual officers. 
Capt. Eldregde was in charge of the troops on board. 

January 15th the "New Jersey" sailed in company with the 
U. S. S. "Nebraska" which was also carrying troops. It was early 
discovered that the Navy believes in eating. Many acquaintances 
of yore, for instance, pie and coffee cake and butter, were sen ed 
to those who felt any desire therefor. Nevertheless, the Navy will 
have beans for breakfast, every morning. But what mostly 
impressed the Engineers was the fact that naval officers have 
fatigue clothes and actually shovel coal at times. 

But the gobs have their troubles! The "black gang" was 
quite peeved at the Captain because he had not given them more 
shore leave at Brest ; therefore they began to burn up all the coal 
there was on board. This, added to the fact that an accident to 
one of the condensers had stopped one engine for a day, necessitated 
a stop at the Azores for coal. Leaving the "Nebraska",' the "New- 
Jersey" turned southward and on January 20th San Miguel was 
sighted and anchor dropped at Ponta Delgada. San Miguel 
lived up to all descriptions of tropic isles, the ship being sur- 
rounded immediately by bum boats selling pineapples, bananas, 
oranges, embroidery, and even wicker deck chairs. Many a 
bucket of fruit was hauled in the port holes. 

The next day, after moving inside the breakwater, all hands 
coaled ship from small barges. All naval and military officers 
went ashore, but enlisted men were even denied the privilege of 
hauling cognac aboard for all port holes were closed and the 
guards doubled. 

The following clay the "New Jersey" again set forth for home. 
Due to conditions at Brest, flu had broken out among the soldiers 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



on board. The sick bay was soon filled and for a while there was 
no place for the other sick. The occupants of two compartments 
were then moved into lifeboats and a fighting top, and a temporary 
hospital was established. James Hyde and Wilson B. Young, 
both of C Company, died of pneumonia and after landing, George 
B. Carney, also of C Company, died in the debarkation hospital 
at Camp Stewart, Newport News, on February 10th. 

February 1st land was sighted, and shortly after noon the 
"New Jersey" passed through Hampton Roads by the battleships 
w hich had just returned from service with the British fleet. Their 
bands turned out with "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here" and a 
rousing welcome was given. In the afternoon the "New Jersey" 
drew up to a pier at Newport News and the First Battalion was 
back on American soil after sixteen months' absence. The Red 
Cross was right on the job, distributing along with their welcoming 
smiles, chocolate, cookies and cigarettes, and they telegraphed to 
each emergency address the news of arrival. Led by a tinted 
stevedore band, the parade went through the city and out to Camp 
Stewart. Flags were flying; everyone was cheering; chocolate and 
fruit showered down. Incidentally, an onlooker was heard to 
remark, "Why, they haven't any guns!" 

The next few days were spent in getting acclimated to real 
food, enjoying the luxuries of the Visitors' House, having battalion 
and company pictures taken, and riding in street cars again. It 
was discovered that Newport News had but little use for overseas 
men after the parade from the ship was over. A Major with three 
silver service stripes gave a couple of the fellows a very severe 
bawling out for not saluting him when he was encumbered with a 
lady and coming in from the side' 

On February 7th occured the dissolution of the Battalion. It 
was split into detachments destined for camps near the enlistment 
places. Individually, though, some of the men did not apply the 
red chevron until as late as February 27th — and then 

FINI LA GUERRE ! ! ! 



The First Battalion 

Organization of the Twentieth Engineers was initiated by the 
authorization of the First and Second Battalions August 28th, 
1917. Actual recruiting for the regiment was launched at the same 
time, and the company units began to form, with a nucleus of 
men left behind by the Tenth Engineers when they started over- 
seas September 9th. The F r irst Battalion occupied the barracks 
vacated by the corresponding companies of the Tenth on the 
-■:n street of Camp American University. 

Original plans called for a battalion strength of 600 men. This 
was increased. September 28th, to 800. in line with the revised 
schedule for line troops adopted by the War Department to bring 
our military units into groups corresponding to those of our 
chief allies. Under the new schedule the First Battalion did not 
reach strength until along in October. Recruits arriving after 
that were placed in casual companies, attached to the First and 
Second for rations, and eventually formed into the Third Bat- 
talion. 

ptember and October were spent in primary training — close- 
order drill, interior guard, and physical exercise It is noteworthy. 
and characteristic of the entire regiment, that at no time was 
any attempt mac e « -.*x>l recruits in any oi the anticipated 

Stry duties The high degree of skill brought from civilian 
life by the men of the Tenth and Twentieth made any instruction 
along this line entirely uru With the officers, of course, 

the problem was acute, and more than one company commander 
valiant but unavailing efforts to replace his subordinates 
with junior oi n whom he could expect practical assistance 

in mills, woods, yard or railway activit 

"The last month in the States was marked by daily expectation 
- tiling orders. Equipment was slow in arriving, and it was not 
until the second week of November that the coveted orders were 
promulgated. Vacancies in the ranks were filled by a draft from 
the Third Battalion, and finally. November 11th, 1917. our first 
two battalions left University Camp, in heavy marching order, 
and entrained for New York. 

The next evening they boarded the U. S. S. "Madawaska." 
which had been the German liner *'Konig Wilhelm II." The 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



vessel was convoyed across by the cruiser "San Diego" and two 
destroyers. The troops were debarked at historic St. Nazaire, 
November 28th, and marched to the American Camp, where three 
weeks were spent in lining out the companies and their equip- 
ments for their various stations. 

The maritime pine forests of the Lancles. on the shore of 
Biscay in southwestern France, had been selected as an American 
forestry district; the First Battalion of the Tenth Engineers 
already were on the ground at Pontenx, in the northern part of 
the region. It fell to the lot of the First Battalion Headquarters 
to install a new district organization at Dax, forty miles farther 
south. Co.s A and C, of the First, and detachments of Co. F of 
the Second, were assigned to the Dax District. Co. B was detached 
from the Battalion organization and ordered to central France. 

The District headquarters organization was billeted in the 
city of Dax, which is a picturesque town of Roman origin, and of 
some 30,000 population. The Spanish border is only 30 miles 
to the south, and this proximity gives rise to several Spanish 
characteristics, the most apparent of which is a huge bull-ring, 
or arena, on the bank of the Adour River at the edge of the city. 
The spectacles were under a strict ban during the war, and the 
comptrollers of the arena offered its use to the American troops. 
Here the District offices, supply depots, shops and barracks were 
installed. A messhall was built in the center of the stadium, with 
the other structures grouped outside. 

The companies were assigned to lumber projects centering on 
Dax. Co. A, which under revised designations became the I u I 
Co. Twentieth Engineers, had arrived at Dax December 22nd, 
and immediately commenced construction of a camp at Mees, 
some five miles southeast of town. They built and operated a 
mill of rated 20,000 foot capacity, with a large, compact body of 
pine timber to draw upon. Co. C, the Third Co., were assigned 
to the locality of Candale, three miles farther out, on a branch 
line of the Midi Railroad leading into Dax. Here also a 20 M. 
mill was built, with logging lines of 2 foot decauville track. 

The Third Co. lays claim to having stayed on the job in one 
place longer than any other of all the 49 companies. With the 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



exception of a cleanup detail of 50 men sent to Mees after the 
Armistice, no breaks in the 1 5 months of duty occurred at Candale. 
The First Co. were less stable, being shifted to Arengosse, twenty- 
five miles to the northeast. The Mees operation was then taken 
over by a detachment of the Second Co. (F of the Second i. 

The First Christmas at Dax was observed was a holiday — des- 
tined to be the last holiday for a long long time. Through the 
courtesy of local impresarios the moving picture palace of Dax 
was thrown open to the Americans, who were paraded into town, 
and out again before the insidious power of the buvettes could do 
their deadly work. 

During the summer of 1918 the district strength was augmented 
by the arrival of the Sixteenth Service Co. (colored) who were 
assigned to the Arengosse camp. In May a new district was in- 
stalled at Castets. fifteen miles north, by the Sixth Battalion. 
The pine forests of the vicinity also harbored several units of the 
Canadian Forestry Corps, who maintained administrative offices 
in Dax. 

After the Armistice the logging operations were brought to an 
orderly conclusion, and all preparations made for orderly departure, 
when the First Battalion meathouse was pulled clown by the 
reversal of policy of Hq., S. O. S. With a fair degree of reluctance 
the outfits turned their calloused hands to road making, and were 
deeply immersed in the concoction of waterbound macadam when 
orders finally came for return to the States. 

The complete equipment of the Dax District — camps, mills. 
rollingstock — was taken over by the headquarters detachment of 
the Fourth Battalion, March 20th. 1919. The next day First 
Headquarters, the 1st. 2nd. and 3rd Cos left for the Bordeaux 
embarkation area. Here they were joined by the 5th Co. After 
two weeks at Genicourt they marched to Bassens and boarded the 
transport '"Roanoke." which had served as a minelayer in the 
North Sea during the war. 

The "Roanoke" was not roomy, and an outbreak of the 
mumps proved hard to check, so that a considerable number of 
the outfit served a hitch of quarantine after landing. With their 
exception the last of the Dax contingent were on their way to 




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History of the Twentieth Engineers 

home cantonments by the first of May. The landing was at 
Hoboken, April 18th. 1919. 

Co. B of the First Battalion left the rest camp at St. Nazaire 
ahead of the Dax contingent, and spent two days on a slow train 
through Vendee, arriving at their permanent station, Mur-de- 
Sologne, a village twelve miles from Gievres, in the Department 
of Loir-et-Cher. Gievres was later destined to be one of the 
largest supply depots of the A. E. F.. but at this time the budding 
camp held less than 1000 men. To this camp Co. B was re- 
quired to furnish a small detail to handle forestry supplies. The 
detail was temporary, but a stray wisp of red tape reached cur 
snared the detachment, and it was fifteen mcnths ere they were 
restored to their command. 

The company erected a mill of 10,000 capacity, operating double 
shift, and furnishing a good part of the structural timbers re- 
quired in the Gievres development. Four months after their 
arrival, forestry activities in the vicinity were increased by the 
arrival of the Tenth Battalion and the creation of the Bourges 
District, in which Co. B was incorporated. This change led to the 
unit being designated the 30th Co. 

In several respects the 30th Co. enjoyed advantages denied 
most of the forestry troops. Leave privileges were granted in 
accordance with A. E. F. regulations; a company band was formed 
and maintained; dances, to which the local belles were invited, 
gave the outfit a sensation of being among friends. 

Twice during the month of December. 1918. the unit was 
ordered to prepare for embarkation. The second time, ears were 
already spotted for entraining, when orders were reversed, and 
the company assigned to road construction near Tours. A month 
was spent at this thankless pursuit, when one more task was 
dealt out. The outfit was ordered to Lamanchs. in the Mimizan 
District of the Landes. where they arrived the first or March. 
built a camp, and, upon the departure of the 1 1th Co. for Dax a 
few days later, took over the big mill and resumed sawing of 
standard ties into inch lumber. Six weeks later the company 
was finally released from duty and struck for Bordeaux. 

The First Battalion was perhaps the most cosmopolitan of all 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

our units. Every state and territory was represented, and in well 
balanced proportions. Its strength was recruited by a vigorous 
campaign nation-wide in extent, and no very large increments 
were drawn from any one section of the countrv. 




The Second Battalion 

The recruiting and training period of the history of our Second 
Battalion was at no time distinct from that of the First. The two 
units were drilled, equipped and organized together at the home 
camp, American University. Early in the fall one striking attri- 
bute of the Second came into universal notice in Forestry circles — 
the predominant western makeup of the Battalion. Partly by 
chance, partly doubtless by careful divisions of recruit arrivals, 
the Second filled up largely with Pacific Coast officers and men, 
and, doubtless through a cautious propaganda, came to be known 
through the Regiment as the "Native Son" Battalion. 

Training days, and the crossing to France, are covered in the 
story of the First Battalion. One incident on the voyage is worth 
remarking. Heavy weather was encountered south of Land's 
End, and during the night the breakers succeeded in battering in 
a hatchcover and inundating several troop spaces. As one F 
Co. veteran narrates: "There was no panic among the men, but 
the confusion among the messkits, shoes, clothing and equipment 
was terrible. Every time the vessel rolled, a roaring tidal wave 
raced across the decks, carrying everything before it, and bringing 
up with a bang against the side. All hands spent the next day in 
salvaging operations." 

Arrived at St. Nazaire, the Battalion was employed for two 
weeks on a pretentious water-supply project. The duty was 
welcomed, if for no further reason than, in the grading operations, 
occasion roots and sticks were unearthed; these were smuggled 
into camp and utilized to eke out the scanty supply of fuel. 

After two weeks, the unit received orders for travel to its 
various assigned stations. Headquarters, and Co.s D and E, with 
a detachment of Co. F, were ordered to the Vosges region in north- 
eastern France; the remainder of Co. F were detailed to join the 
First Battalion at Dax, in the southwest. Headquarters was 
established at the city of Epinal, capital of the Department of 
Vosges, and here was built up the organization that handled all 
the Forestry activities in the Advance Zone. The Epinal District 
embraced all that part of the advance area fronting on Lorriane, 
and the St. Mihiel and Argonne regions. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



\\ ith the arrival of further increments of the Twentieth, 
the Epinal Districts assumed large importance. Units of the 
Fifth, Ninth, Tenth Battalions, and of the 41st, 42nd and 43rd 
Engineers, and detachments from other Forestry outfits, were 
incorporated. The activities of the western or Chatenois sub- 
district are reviewed in the story of the Fifth Battalion. North 
and east of Epinal the operations were of more permanent nature, 
cutting being continued in definite localities until the Armistice. 
At that time there were 3000 troops, of the Twentieth and aux- 
iliaries, in the Epinal area. 

Co. D (the 4th Co.) left St. Nazaire on the long journey to 
Lorraine, and landed three da> s later at their permanent camp, 
Granges, seven miles from the front lines in the Luneville sector. 
Here they built a mill and established logging camp, working under 
the added zest of proximity to the enemy. The outfit was more 
than once under fire, and hardly a man in the Company but took 
an occasional A. W. O. L. excursion into the lines. 

After the Armistice the 4th Co. began to hit the bumps. The 
unit stood high in the priority list by reason of their early arrival, 
and after turning over their camp to a detachment of the 46th 
Co., pulled for St. Nazaire. in company with Second Battalion 
Headquarters. Here, while waiting for sailing orders, they fell 
into the working habit, and installed nine miles of pipeline for 
the benefit of combat troops and German prisoners, who spent 
their days watching the two-stripers at work. 

Even this was not enough. Late in February the outfit were 
loaded onto cars and shipped to Aureilhan, in the Pontenx Dis- 
trict, Landes. The mill at Aureilhan, originally the station of Co. 
B of the Tenth Engineers, was operation b\ a detachment oi the 
11th Co., who cheerfully surrendered possession and returned to 
Lamanchs. It didn't take long for the 4th to get back to lumber- 
ing, though the unit's morale was undergoing an acid test. 

In the midst of the tedious process of cutting standard ties 
into inch lumber, the 20,000 mill caught fire, late one night, and 
strenuous efforts failed to save it. Of the camp, only the barracks 
and warehouse were saved. 

After two months of Aureilhan, genuine sailing orders finally 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



materialized. The outfit left Aureiihan May 4th, and sailed from 
Bassens three days later. 

Co. E, the 5th Co., were the pioneers in what was destined to 
be the largest Forestry camp in France, excepting the Burnt 
Area. They located at the town of Eclaron, seven miles from St. 
Dizier, in Haute Marnc. January 24th, 1918, they were joined 
by the 8th Co. (B of the Third Battalion), and jointly operated a 
double mill, with a rated capacity of 40,000 board feet per shift. 
As was universal in the Twentieth, the rated capacity soon looked 
ready for sick call. 

The Eclaron timber consisted chiefly of hardwoods, oak and 
beech. A large stand was available, and the operation strength 
was increased in March by the arrival of the 40th Co., and a little 
later by several Service Companies. Logging was carried on both 
by trucks and railways, and extensive fuel production added to 
the camp activities. 

Early in April a new Forestry district was created at Eclaron, 
with the Headquarters organization of the 41st Engineers, later 
incorporated as the Thirteenth Battalion Hq., in charge. 

The monotony of labor was varied at times by startling 
incidents. During the summer of 1918 the enemy lines were not 
too far away to keep Jerry from giving the neighborhood an 
occasional once-over, and on several occasions bombing raids gave 
the night shifts room for reflection. One sky visitor succeeded 
in messing up the baseball diamond in camp, but no serious damage 
ever occurred, thanks chiefly to effective camouflage. 

After the Armistice the 5th Co. held the envied position of 
being the senior outfit in the district, and was groomed lor speedy 
embarkation. However, it was not until February 23rd, 1919, 
that they started on the first leg of the journey, when they en- 
trained for Dax, in the far southwest, and joined the First Bat- 
talion for the return to the States. They spent three weeks at 
Dax, two at Bordeaux, and sailed aboard the transport "Roanoke." 
After a wearying voyage, marked by a severe outbreak of the 
mumps, they landed at Hoboken, April 16th, 1919. 

Co. F was divided at St. Nazaire, one detachment remaining 
with the Battalion organization for the Advance Zone duty, the 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



other repairing to Dax with the First Battalion. The southern 
detachments were assigned to a pine operation at the hamlet of 
Houeilles, in the Department of Lot-et-Garonne. A small French 
portable sawmill was first operated, while construction of a 
American 10 M mill was started. The early days on the job 
were marked by considerable discomfort from lack of shelter and 
hitches in the ration supply. 

Cutting continued at Houeilles until the front of February, 
1919. The detachment was then moved to Dax, where it was 
merged with the units there for re-equipment and drill, and for 
the long trail back to Hoboken. 




The Third Battalion 

The nucleus of our Third Battalion began to form from early 
in October, 1917, as a casual Company attached to Regimental 
Headquarters. The Battalion organization was authorized 
October 13. and for the ensuing month recruits were arriving 
daily. Long before the unit reached its authorized strength it 
became apparent that the First and Second Battalions could not 
embark as early as scheduled, ow ing to lack of equipment, and the 
congested condition of Camp American University made necessary 
the finding of other training quarters for the new unit. 

On October 28, the Battalion, now half up to war strength, 
emigrated to Belvoir, a quiet little R. O. T. C. camp on the 
Virginia side of the Potomac twenty miles below Washington. A 
month of drill, larded with camp-building details, followed. No- 
vember 19 the Third Battalion was split in twain, 165 men and 8 
officers returning to Washington as a skeleton Fourth Battalion. 
For the next few days recruits swarmed in, and by Thanksgiving 
Day the Third was at strength. 

Two weeks later the outfit, having outgrown the Belvoir 
environment, moved to Fort \lyer, Va., six miles south of Wash- 
ington, where training and equipping were completed. This 
chapter in the history of the outfit can well be told in one word : 
Quarantine. If it wasn't one thing it was another. Mumps, 
measles and scarlet fever took their course. But one memorable 
event stands out in this period; the review of the Third and Fourth 
Battalions by the Secretary of War, December 15. The column, 
led by the Fourth Band, paraded Pennsylvania Avenue, retracing 
part of the route of the huge procession of the Union Armies in 
1865, and were reviewed from the portico of the War Department 
Building. 

The training period of the Battalion ended abruptly with the 
coming of 1918. Midnight of January 2 saw the column under 
way. on a nine-mile hike through the snow, under full pack and 
silence orders. The troop-train was parked at the most distant 
trackage available, and was entirely unheated; but it was there on 
schedule. Jersey City was reached at 3 the next afternoon, and 
the Third, here joined by the Fourth Battalion, were lightered 
upstream to Hoboken. By 10 P. M. the last of the companies 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



stumbled up the gangplank of U. S. S. "America,' - a converted 
Hamburg-American liner of 21,000 tons. 

The next afternoon the transport started down the harbor, with 
all troops strictly below decks as a precautionary measure. "Join 
the Navy and sec die World— from a porthole," but even the port- 
holes were out of bounds for the enlisted men, who had to forego 
the inspiration oi waving farewell to the Goddess of Liberty under 
the repeated urge of Call to Quarters. 

The convoy, assembled during the night off Sandy Hook, 
consisted of the transports "America" and "Mercury," and the 
cruiser "Seattle." Apart from the one big thrill of going Over, 
and the tedious round of Abandon Ship drill, several events of 
the voyage are memorable. In mid-ocean the "Seattle" rescued 
the crew of a waterlogged and dismasted lumber schooner. The 
afternoon of the 14th the wireless gave word of submarine ac- 
tivity ahead, and the convoy, turning on a fixed pivot, executed 
a strategic flanking movement. 

Early on the morning of the 17th of January, 1918, came the 
big thrill. Lookouts sighted a torpedo wake heading for the 
"America," but the deadly missile missed the stern of the ship, 
by the narrow margin of twenty feet. The submarine was never 
sighted. 

Three hours later land was sighted, and at noon the ship 
dropped anchor in the roadstead at Brest. Three days later the 
Battalion was lightered ashore, and marched through Brest to 
Pontenzen Barracks, recently taken over from the French. 

After five days of rest, consisting of close-order drill, route- 
marches, fatigue and. for the last four days, food, the Battalion 
entrained for their permanent stations, the three companies and 
headquarters separating for the duration, as they left the Brest 
station. 

Company A, later the Seventh Co., accompanied Battalion 
Headquarters to historic Dijon. Here they were split into three 
detachments. Company headquarters were sent to Mirebeau, 
the First Det. to Vitteaux, and the Second to Montbard, all in 
the Dept. of Cote d'Or. 

The Nirebeau unit started operations with a Frehch portable 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



mill, replacing with a 10-M American mill in March. The P'irst 
Det. took over the operation August 18. and Headquarters Det. 
was moved to the village of Yelet. on the Saone River. Logging 
commenced with the customary speed, but the mill was still un- 
completed when the Armistice stopped the program. Logging 
and fuel production continued till the end of March. 1919, the 
abortive homecoming orders of January 15 making no break in 
the routine of production and shipment. 

The First Detachment drew a difficult operation in oak and 
spruce at Saffres, near Yitteaux. A French Portable mill was 
run day and night until the finish in August. The Saffres job 
ranked low in production owing to scanty stands and unskilled 
direction: but the celerity with which the outfit cleaned up the 
Mirebeau operation proved that the fault was not in the per- 
sonnel. The next task was at Beze. where logging was in full 
swing till after the Armistice. 

The Second Detachment was of brief duration. Three months 
of logging, w ith primitive equipment, and the Montbard camp 
was turned over to colored service troops, the Seventh Co. men 
being divided between the Yitteaux and Mirebeau operations. 

The company was reunited at Yelet and on March 30 joined 
the Ninth Co. at Gray, for the trip to the Dax embarkation area. 

Company B entrained at Brest, noon. January 25, 1918. and 
sped eastward to the Haute Marne region, where they joined 
Co. E of the Second Battalion on the St. Dizier operation. A 
consolidated mill was built with two saw-rigs, each of 20.000 feet 
rated capacity. The timber available was more extensive than at 
most of our developments, and the force was augmented by the 
addition of several service detachments. 

The camp was only some twenty-five miles from the front, 
during the summer of 1918, and more than once the mill came 
under hostile air-raids ; One night a well-intentioned enemy 
bomb tore up the baseball diamond a few rods from camp, but 
at no time were casualties incurred. The proximity of the front 
led to one of the most frequent infractions of regulations among 
Forestry troops in the advance zone — A. \Y. O. L. excursions to 
the front. One member of the Eighth Co. managed to attach 



History of the Twentieth h-NGiNEERs 



himself to the Second Division, and clung to his adopted organi- 
zation until put out of action on the Vesle front. 

Several small detachments from St. Dizier were sent to join 
the 1 5th and 38th Co.s in the First Army area in October, equipped 
with portable bolter mills for emergency cutting in newly-won 
territory. They rejoined the outfit early in December. 

About the first of April, 1919, the 8th Co. was ordered to the 
embarkation area formed for Forestry troops at Dax, in the 
Landes. They arrived at Mees, the former home of the 1st Co.. 
but were soon moved to Arengosse, twenty-five miles to the 
north, where preliminaries for embarkation were completed. May 
8th they boarded cars for Bordeaux, and were added to the train 
bearing the rest of the Third, and two companies of the Fourth 
Battalion, to Bordeaux. 

Co. C drew a hardwood operation at Sauvigney les Cray, in 
the upper valley of the Saone, and under the Dijon administration. 
The timber available was scattering, and the long hauls to the 
mill led to the adoption of narrow gauge logging railways. A 
standard gauge spur was run to the millsitc, and the products, 
chiefly ties and dimension, loaded direct for the area of active 
operations. 

Post-Armistice activities included heavy fuel production. In 
March the camp work was completed. On the 30th the Seventh 
Co. joined the Ninth at Sauvigney, and after a farewell parade 
through the town the units entrained for Dax, where they were 
billeted in the old First Battalion camps. 

The morning of May 9th, the Seventh and Ninth Co.s, with 
Third Battalion Headquarters and the Third Detachment, en- 
trained, in company with the Fourth Battalion Headquarters, the 
Third Battalion Headquarters and the Third Medical Detachment, 
entrailcd, in company with the Fourth Battalion Headquarters, the 
Eleventh, and Twenty-third Co.s. The Eighth Co. was picked 
up on the way, as was the Twelfth, and the contingent pulled into 
Bordeaux at 11 P. M. Although a station two miles from the 
embarkation camp was available, the Battalions were detrained 
at Care St. Jean, the principal depot of Bordeaux, and marched 
under full equipment and overcoats, to Cenicourt. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

The next day the outfits passed through the mill, which has 
been recognized as much more thorough and wearing than the 
like institutions at Brest, and St. Xazaire. That evening orders 
issued for the embarkation of the Fourth Battalion, and the 
Eighth and Ninth Co.s of the Third. They hiked to Bassens the 
morning of the 11th, walked the gangplank at noon, and sailed 
at 2 P. M. aboard the converted Holland-American liner, "Zee- 
landia." 

The crossing was smooth — to a sailor — but to the veterans 
of seventeens months of wholesale Army rations the general loss 
of appetite was astonishing. The transport docked at Newport 
News, Va., May 23rd. and the last detachments were on their 
w ay to home camps a week later. 

Third Battalion Headquarters and the Seventh Co. were held 
at Genicourt three days longer. May 14th they sailed, in com- 
pany with the Sixth Battalion, on the Santa Paula: they landed 
at New York May 28th. and were disbanded at Camp Merritt. 





Oak Locking at Eci VRON 
(U. S. Official.) 



The Fourth Battalion 

( 1 1 th, 1 2th, and 23rd Companies) 

The 4th Battalion was authorized on September 28, 1917, by 
a communication from the Chief of Staff to the Chief of Engineers, 
The nucleus for the companies was drawn from the personnel of 
the 3rd Battalion which was trained at Camp Belvoir, now Camp 
Humphries, Virginia. The first recruits for companies D, E, 
and F of the 4th, consisted of about 75 men each from companies 
A, B, and C of the 3rd Battalion, plus about 100 men who had re- 
cently arrived at Washington and had never reached their des- 
tination in the 3rd. The contingent from Belvoir arrived at Ameri- 
can University, November 20th, and organization, equipping, and 
drilling were started immediately. Owing to scarcity of clothing, 
recruiting had temporarily stopped for the 3rd and 4th Battalions, 
which were given clothing priority over all other American troops 
except those listed to sail overseas in October. Supply conditions 
rapidly improved and the companies of the 4th reached strength 
by November 27. By about the end of the month the companies 
were each 90 men over strength, orders having come for each 
company to bring to France 83 men to reinforce the 10th Engineers 
and to bring them up to the newly-authorized war strength of 250. 

Hikes, drills, fatigue duty, measles, mumps, grippe, changes 
of living quarters, extremely cold weather, and persistent rumors 
of departure marked the days of waiting for sailing orders, but 
a number of items of equipment were delayed and Christmas 
came with no definite news. Finally the barrack bags were checked 
out, visitors were forbidden entrance to camp, and the battalion 
marched out of the University grounds at 12:30 A. M. on the 
morning of January 3. accompanied by a snowstorm. 

January 4 the "America," carrying, among other troops, 
1,956 men and 44 officers of the 3rd and 4th Battalions, started 
down the river bound for France. For the greater part of the 
trip, the transport "Mercury" and the cruiser "Seattle" ac- 
companied the "America," which enjoyed one torpedo scare 
before the destroyers arrived and protected her passage into 
Brest, which was reached January 17. after 1 3 days on the Atlan- 
tic Front. The 4th Battalion disembarked Januarv 20th. and 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

passed a short period of quarantine in the old Napoleonic barracks 
of Pontanezen. 

Very soon after landing, D Company entrained for Marchenoir 
(Loir-et-Cher), under the command of Lieut. Conklin. The 
separation was pathetic, in that D yielded its talent in the bat- 
talion band to E, in exchange for more utilitarian personnel. The 
Headquarters Detachment, with companies E and F, took station 
in the Landes, south of Bordeaux, on the pine-clad sand dunes 
bordering the Bay of Biscay. Headquarters was established at 
Mimizan-les-Bains in a building bearing the suggestive legend 
"Sans Souci" above the cloor. E Company went into camp at 
once at Lamanchs, a mere loading point for turpentine and 
lumber 3 miles north of the beach resort and Company F found 
a similar location at Pleyres, 3 miles further north. 

Both companies erected 20-M mills, following a few months 
with small French machines, and some very good cuts were made, 
although no regimental records are credited to the district. At 
the time of greatest demand for ties, many of the men hewed on 
their own time after supper. The hand-made "haywire harness" 
of E Company became famous throughout the regiment and the 
same outfit had the doubtful distinction of taking the only prisoner 
captured in the district, a poor native who was caught boot- 
legging in camp after taps. The influenza was very severe in the 
region and one of the men, Corporal Charles J. Cumiskey, was 
recommended for a Distinguished Service Medal as a posthumous 
reward for his services in serving the sick men in the epidemic 
which claimed him as a victim after he had exhausted his strength 
in saving the lives of others. Baseball was played with neighbor- 
ing outfits and on three occasions the district sent athletic teams 
to Bordeaux, where Sergeant Sisson took the honors of the Base 
Section in two events. 

About half of Company E of the 8th Battalion joined the 
district and the first of June a detachment of Co. D, 42nd En- 
gineers, was distributed among the companies. July 30, the 
iVlimizan District reached its maximum strength by the addition 
of Co. C, 519th Engineers (colored), which built camp at Bias, 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



several miles southeast of Mimizan-les-Bains, and erected a mill 
of, its own. 

July 4th the district joined with the Pontenz companies of the 
old Tenth in a big celebration at "The Bains," with boxing and 
wrestling as the main attractions. From time to time short leaves 
were allowed the men to go to Arcachon, a beach resort near 
Bordeaux, and a few who were afflicted with rheumatism or the 
epidemic "French Itch" had the privilege of the mud baths at 
Dax. For the most part, seven-day leaves were enjoyed in the 
Pyrenees area, although some of the men were sent to Mont Dore 
and the area in Brittany, and a very few to Aix les Bains. 

Meanwhile Company D came under the command of Lieut, 
(later Capt.) Richardson. This company established a record with 
a 10-M mill in hardwood, of 55,539 feet in 20 hours. It held to 
its job at Marchenoir steadily for 14 months, the greatest break 
in the monotony of operations occuring when 89 men were in 
hospital at one time, suffering from what was finally diagnosed 
as malnutrition. 

Upon winding up affairs at Machenoir, the company rejoined 
the rest of the battalion in the Landes. They arrived in the 
camp of the 1 1th Company (E) at Candale, located 6 miles from 
Dax, on April 15, 1919, where close order drill and a general 
military resuscitation, necessary to pass the vigilant eye of the 
Inspector General, was had in preparation for home going. 

After the Armistice, the companies in the Mimizan District, 
inspired by the report, (credited to the erstwhile commander of 
the battalion, I.t.-Col. Kelly) that they would sail for home Jan- 
uary 15th, hastened clean-up work, but just as they were reporting 
"ready" orders came for the 12th Company (F) to join the van- 
guard of the Burned Area Brigade. The company tore down its 
mill at Pleyres, rebuilt it in the Burn, and waited there until the 
final jump-off for Bassens and Home, May 8th. The 1 1th Com- 
pany took over the 10th, 1 1th, and 12th Company operations as a 
quiet sector, and a little later extended its front to include the 
33rd Company mill on Lake Aureilhan. Later the 1 1th was re- 
lieved by companies of the 1st and 2nd Battalions, and on April 
2nd it entrained with the Headquarters Detachment for the old 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

1st Battalion camp near Dax, where the men sawed 1st {battalion 
tics until the first of May. 

Battalion Headquarters and the 11th and 23rd Companies 
left for Bordeaux May 8th; picked up the 12th Company on the 
way; and the 4th Battalion, reunited after 16 months, sailed for 
heme on the U. S. S. "Zeelandia" on May 11th, exactly half a 
year after the Armistice. Debarkation was at Newport News, 
Virginia, May 23rd, and final dissolution took place at Camp 
Alexandria. 




The Fifth Battalion 

The nucleus of the Fifth Battalion began to form at Camp 
Belvoir, Virginia, as soon as the Third and Fourth were brought 
to strength. The three companies, A, B, and C. were organized 
December 5th, 1917, and Headquarters Detachment was formed a 
week later. At this period, recruiting for the Twentieth was in 
full swing all over the country, and completion of the organization 
to strength found all sections, and nearly every state, represented, 
the Northwest and Pacific Coast furnishing the largest quotas. 

Six weeks of training, equipping, and heavy fatigue duties, 
found the Battalion ready for overseas service. Plans for the 
construction of a huge Engineer cantonment had been completed 
in November, and it fell to the lot of the outfit to make the pre- 
liminary clearing, and build a plank road from Belvoir to the new- 
camp, later designated as Camp Humphreys. The work was put 
through during the worst of that exceptionally bad winter, most 
of the time under zero weather. 

The unit was reported ready for departure January 10th, and 
orders came for its embarkation, in company with our Sixth 
Battalion. Four days later a case of meningitis appeared, and the 
ensuing quarentine cancelled the program, thus saving the outfit 
from sharing the fate of the Sixth, in the "Tuscania" disaster. 

January 25th. 1918, the Fifth marched to Mount Vernon, and 
entrained for Washington, where they occupied the barracks 
vacated by the Sixth, while final preparations were completed. 
At 4 P. M.. January 29th. the Battalion hit the long, long trail, 
the first stretch being a march to the trooptrain at Roslyn, in a 
driving blizzard. 

At six the next morning the outfit detrained at Jersey City, 
cramped and numb from the all-night ride in unheated cars. By 
noon the companies had all gone up the gangplank of U. S. S. 
"Calamares, a 6,000 ton converted freighter. The Battalion. 
as checked on the pier, consisted of 758 men and 19 officers. 

At 7 P. \L January 31st, the "Calamares" nosed out of harbor 
and joined a convoy consisting of a U. S. armored cruiser and the 
transports "Oealis" and "Wilhelmina." The voyage was stormy, 
but otherw ise uneventful, except for a submarine alarm early the 
last morning of the trip. No action resulted, and the actual attack 



1 IlSTORY OF THE TWENTIETH ENGINEERS 

of an enemy is to this day debatable. At 9:30 the transport 
anchored in the roadstead of Brest. 

Sunday. February 17th. the Battalion debarked, and marched 
through the principal street of Brest to Pontenezan Barracks. 
After two days of acclimatization, the inevitable happened; 
the organization was broken up. and the companies started for 
their posts of duty. 

Headquarters of the Battalion had been designated to assume 
direction of a new district in the valley of the Loire, 100 miles 
south of Paris. Administration offices were installed in the im- 
portant town of Gien, and Co.s A and B, later named the 13th 
and 14th Co.s, were assigned to operate in the district. 

The 13th Co. were sent to the village of Brinon-sur-Sauldre, 
(her, where they erected an American sawmill of 10,000 foot 
capacity. The operation assumed large proportions within a few 
weeks, and a service company of colored troops were assigned to 
assist in lumber and fuel handling. At the time of the Armistice 
the camp had a strength of 50b officers and men. The 13th was 
represented for a time by a detachment at Mauny, northeast of 
Brinon, where round timbers were produced, but the operation 
was temporary. 

( o. B. later the 14th Co., left Pontenezan Barracks alone for 
their post of duty at Subligney-Villeroy, in the Department of 
Yonne. Here they erected an American mill, and commenced 
logging in the Foret de Bruneau. The timber was chiefly oak. 
Within a month the activities of the unit were widened, two de- 
tachments of 40 men each proceeding to new operations at L'rzy 
and Moulins-Fngibert. \ievre. Mills were built at both camps, 
and the personnel of the three operations increased by the arrival 
of Co. C. 43rd Engineers, and by detachments from the bth, 12th, 
and 24th Service Cos of the Twentieth, Co. C of the 548th En- 
gineers, and Battery A of the 48th Regiment of Coast Artillery. 

A further development of the territory led to the opening of 
a piling and tie camp at Mauny, Yonne, manned by detachments 
of the 14th and 13th Co.s, and a later detail from the 48th Co. 

Production at all the operations was uninterrupted until after 
the Armistice, when the imminent departure of our senior Bat- 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



talions, the former Tenth Engineers, caused the assignment of the 
14th Co. to take over the duties of the 3bth Co. In January, 
1919, the Urzy detachment moved to the nearby camp at Donzy, 
and a few weeks later the remainder of the outfit took over the 
mill at Mortumier, near district headquarters at Gien. 

Homecoming preparations took form in April, when the 
Company was assembled at Subligney, whence they left \l;i\ 
10th for the Nantes billeting area and spent a week with the re- 
united Fifth Battalion. The 15th Co. drew the lucky number, 
embarking May 18th, the rest of the Battalion, consisting of 
Headquarters and the 13th and 14th, being held till June 12th, 
when they boarded the transport "Princess Matoika." The 
voyage gave the veterans a glimpse of southern skies; the outfit 
was landed at Charleston, South Carolina, June 23rd, and broken 
into home detachments at Camp Jackson. The Company or- 
ganizations were sent to Camp Lewis, on account of the pre- 
dominant number of westerners, and there the final muster-out 
occurred early in July. 

Co. C, later designated as the 15th Co., was separated from 
the Battalion at Brest, and ordered to the Epinal District, under 
the Second Battalion organization. February 23rd. 1918, they 
arrived at their station — the town of Chatenois, nine miles east 
of Xeufchateau, Vosges. Here the company relieved a detach- 
ment of the Second Battalion, logging and operating a French 
mill of dubious ancestry. 

Early in April the 15th Co. was re-inforced by the 38th, 
originally Co. A of the 41st Engineers. The combined force 
rapidly extended their activities; a detachment of 125 men took 
over a French mill at Hortes, in Haute Marne: a tie camp, with 
a force of 40, was started at Merrey: and a more pretentious 
operation was commenced at Lamarche, manned by 125 of the 
Chatenois outfit and a Company of colored service troops. 

In June the unit was further deployed; their first American 
mill, of 10,000 ft. capacity, was built at Gironcourt, and a tie 
camp established at Bazoilles, a hospital center near Neufchateau. 
The Hortes and Merrey forces were assigned to Gironcourt upon the 
completion of their cuts, and a vigorous start was launched when 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



orders came through detaching the 15th Co. from Epinal District. 

Plans for the great American offensive at St. iVlihiel were 
rapidly crystallizing, and to further the supply of needed timbers 
the outfit was attached to the First Army — the first actual detail 
of Twentieth Engineers to combat forces. 

The Company left August 28th, 1918, for their new base at 
Toul. Their duties from now till the Armistice was to consist of 
many small and temporary operations, located with respect to 
the strategic situation, and following the victorious sweep of our 
First and Second Armies. The duties of the detachment brought 
several of the camps under intermittent enemy fire. Both at 
Menil-la-Tour and Marbachc, homhardments occurred repeatedly. 
The latter camp was the recipient of about forty German shells in 
one afternoon, several of which exploded in the yard. Three 
French soldiers were killed by an exploding bomb, just in front of 
the mill, but the Twentieth escaped without casualties. 

The Ippecourt detachment suffered the only action deaths 
of the unit, when Captain McPherson, 38th Co., and Lieut. 
Fair, Medical Corps, were killed by enemy machine gun fire, 
while locating a new millsite near Varennes, October 5th. 

Other temporary operations in the Army Zone, during the 
St. Mihiel and Argonne drives were located at Liverdun, Seine 
de Haye, Benoite Veaux, Domgermain, Commercy, Les Islattes, 
Croix de Pierre, Puvenelle, and Souilly. The constant advance cf 
the fighting line called for unflagging energy in pushing forward 
the forestry forces. Several of the camps were thrust into ground 
newly taken from the enemy, and augmented strength for the 
timber-handling forces was drawn from the Epinal district. 
Quartermaster detachments were drawn upon, and broad plans 
for further penetration of the new ground were under way, when 
the Armistice called a halt. 

November 18th, orders issued for a cleanup of the jobs still 
operating, and the work was completed three weeks later. The 
scattered units of the 15th Co. reassembled at the home camp of 
Chatenois, December 16th, and took up the mundane duty of 
getting out fuel for the combat troops at ease in the neighboring 
billets. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



Early in January, in accord with established, hut later dis- 
credited, plans, the Co. was released from duty. On the 12th 
they entrained for the coast, and three days later reached the 
billeting area at Boussay, 30 miles south east of Nantes. Two 
days later they were suddenly shifted to Nantes, where the news 
was broken that our Regimental priority had been sunk without 
trace, and several months of A. E. E. duty were still ahead. 

From January 18th until May 1st the company toiled on the 
highways along the Loire, centering in the town of Ancenis, 25 
miles above Nantes. Completion of the job was followed by two 
weeks of drill, and May 13th the unit returned to Nantes and 
rejoined the Fifth Battalion for the homeward journey. 

The Battalion was scheduled for sailing as a unit, but the 
unexpected development of space in the hold of the transport 
"Henry R. Mallory" gave the 15th Co. its opportunity, and after 
a hurried purification ceremony, the unit embarked at 8 P. M., 
May 17th, 1919. The vessel sailed before sunrise the next morning, 
and after a wild and stormy trip, docked at Brooklyn May 28th. 
Two days later the Company officially disappeared from the Army 
lists, and its members scattered to the four corners of America, 
after a year and a half of perhaps the most varied military service 
that ever came to a unit of the American Army. At the front, in 
the lines of communication, down on the Loire — lumbering, road- 
building on two continents, in contact with all the service branches, 
the 1 5th Co. had its share 



A-s 




^v^'v V C^ -CV-i- 





Tractor Hauling Loaded Log Wagons 



The Sixth Battalion 

The Sixth Battalion was ordered organized December 7th, 
1917. The formation began at Ft. Meyer, Va., about December 
15th, 1917. Some two hundred recruits composed the Sixth at 
this time. Some were hospital cases left over from other battalions, 
some were trained men left purposely to whip the new outfit into 
shape and others were raw recruits from all parts of the country. 
On December 27th the skeleton Battalion moved to Camp Ameri- 
can University, Washington, D. C. On January 1st, 1918, with 
the arrival of several hundreds of men from the Northwest and 
the Great Lakes region, the Sixth reached war strength. From 
that time on the days were filled with indescribable hurry and 
bustle attendant upon preparations for sailing. On January 
22nd came final orders for moving. At 9:30 P. M. under full 
pack the Sixth Battalion moved out of Camp American University 
on a hike of five and a half miles through the snow to Ft. Meyer, 
where we entrained at midnight for New York, reaching that 
port about noon the following day. 

On January 23, 1918, late in the afternoon the 6th Bn. 20th 
Engrs. together with several Aerial Squadrons and a few mis- 
cellaneous troops, 2,300 men in all, went on board the Anchor 
Line troopship "Tuscania." The following morning we shipped 
anchor and steamed for Halifax to join the rest of the convoy 
and reached that port on the morning of the 26th. We 
dropped anchor in the roadstead directly off shore from 
the beached "Belgian Relief" and that part of the town 
devastated by the great fire of 191b. On Sunday, the 27th of 
January, we left the harbor in company with three other troop- 
ships and eight freighters, all led by the American Cruiser 
"Seattle." The Tuscania was the second troopship in the convoy 
formation, the Baltic preceding her. 

On Frebuary 4th, twelve days out, while west of Ireland we 
were met by eight British destroyers whose presence did much 
to ease the minds of those who feared a brush with the Germans. 
On the afternoon of the fifth we had rounded the north of Ireland 
and were proceeding southward. On either side we could dimly 
discern the cliffs of Scotland and those of the rocky Irish coast 
from which we judged we were in mid-channel and about thirty 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



miles from land. Dusk came early and at five thirty the night 
was quite dark. Shortly before six — most accounts say thriteen 
minutes to six — the thirteenth day out of New York, the first 
troopship carrying American soldiers was torpedoed. 

The earliest knowledge we had of the proximity of a German 
submarine was a decided shock which rocked the big ship from 
end to end. Simultaneously all lights went out and a deafening 
crash echoed and re-echoed through the ship. There was no ques- 
tion we had been hit, and so, life belts on, we rushed for our sta- 
tions. Our boat drills had been perfunctory ones at the best, 
merely locating the lifeboats assigned and taking cur places 
quickly, hut in an orderly manner. Before the crash had died 
away every man was on his way to his post. The corridors, pass- 
age ways and stairways were a seething mass of olivedrab stream- 
ing for the decks. The rush was devoid of all hysterical excite- 
ment. Each man was excitedly cautioning his neighbor to "take 
it easy," "don't rush," "don't crowd; she isn't sinking"; yet he 
was using his elbows, feet and hands in regular mess-line tactics 
to further a speedy arrival at his lifeboat. From the lowest deck- 
— the troops occupied five — to the first cabins, a steady stream 
of men — and profanity — issued. In ten minutes practically every 
able-bodied man was at his post. Then we began to take stock 
and find out what had really occurred. The torpedo had struck 
us squarely amidships on the starboard side. A great hole was 
torn in the hull and all the superstructure directly above was 
reduced to a mass of wreckage. Several sets of davits with their 
lifeboats were utterly demolished, thus diminishing the chances 
of getting away safely. From the minute of the explosion the ship 
began listing to starboard. It became exceedingly difficult to walk 
on deck, and more than one of the boys on losing his grip on the 
port rail would find himself sprawled against some of the deck 
machinery, a keg of rope or even the rail on the lower side. 

These ten or fifteen minutes elapsing from the moment we 
were struck were filled with action. With all indications of a speedy 
sinking staring us in the face, we worked feverishly to lower the 
lifeboats and cut away the rafts. Pitch darkness made our work 
more difficult. Here and there a pocket flashlight came into play. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

Later the auxiliary lights were turned on and we could better 
see what there was to do. The work of lowering the lifeboats 
proved discouraging. Not only had we lost several, due to the 
terrific effects of the explosion, which had thrown a sheet of flame 
and debris two hundred feet into the air, but we discovered the 
boat tackle in many cases to be fouled or rotted and unfit for use. 
Some of the first boats we attempted to lower were capsized in 
midair, spilling their occupants into the icy water. The high seas 
running and the darkness made the rescue of these men almost 
impossible. Occasional ly we got a boat away in good shape with 
nothing more serious than sprung planks or missing rain plugs. 
These difficulties were overcome by bailing with service hats 
which served the purpose very well. On the port side the launch- 
ings were accompanied with another handicap. The Tuscania 
had acquired such a list that we found it necessary to slide the 
lifeboats down the rivet-studded sloping side of the ship with the 
aid of oars as levers. In all some thirty lifeboats were launched, 
and perhaps twelve of these were successful. 

After acquiring a heavy list, the Tuscania seemed to sink no 
lower in the water. Of those on board, though, the haste to go 
somewhere else abated not a bit. With the lifeboats gone together 
with the rafts, the situation looked none too encouraging. The 
boys showed few signs of nervousness. Standing there, lining the 
rail, waiting for the next development, some six hundred of them 
smoked or talked quietly, discussing their plight. The remarkable 
part of it all was that they took everything in a matter-of-fact 
with a sort of "well, what's next 1 " attidude. Occasionally a 
lev. would sing some little sing, indicative of their feelings, such 
as "Where Do We Go From Here, Boys 1 " or "To Hell With the 
Kaiser." The absence of any panic, or effort and time in prayer 
was notable. A casual observer might, had he acquired a few- 
snatches of the conversation, have thought the latter practice 
was being indulged in. A closer observer would have revealed 
a collection of wonderful expressions from vocabularies replete 
with all the known cuss-words in existence. The objects of the 
remarks were chiefly the U-boats, the Kaiser, the Germans and 
the authorities criminally" neglectful of the safety of the troops. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



With all the lifeboats gone, a general wonder as to the next 
move was voiced. Suddenly on the starboard, out of the dark- 
ness, a tiny destroyer came sidling up to the troopship. With a 
display of seamanship nothing short of marvelous she approached 
near enough for the men to be transferred to her deck. Some- 
times almost hidden by the roll of the big ship, the destroyer 
clung to us. Ropes were let over the side and several hundred of 
the boys went over. When the destroyer was loaded to the limit 
she steamed away, leaving a few boys dangling to the sixty-foot 
ropes. It was here that one of our cooks, a two-hundred-pound 
specimen, surprised us all and no less himself, by climbing all the 
way up to the deck again. When asked to demonstrate his feat a 
lew days later in our Irish camp, he was unable to climb the 
height of the rafters in our barracks. 

Shortly after the departure of the destroyer-load of troops 
another one sidled up to us and completed the work of rescue. 
She, too, was crowded to the liimt, but she stayed till every 
known person on board had been transferred. No sooner had she 
pulled away when some of the longitudinal bulkheads gave way, 
admitting the water to the port holds. Slowly the Tuscania re- 
sumed an even keel. \ ery low in the water and considerably so 
in the bow, she floated for another hour. At about ten o'clock, 
lour hours after being struck, she took her final plunge. With a 
nuil tied explosion as the water reached her boilers, she gently slid, 
bow first, under the surface. 

During all this time the lifeboats and rafts were drifting help- 
lessly about. It was impossible to make any headway with the 
oars, as most of the boats were full of water, and there was such 
a heavy sea that any such effort was useless. In and out among 
these boats the destroyers raced, looking for traces of the sub- 
marine and dropping depth bombs where there were any sus- 
picious indications, liach time one of the *'ash cans" explodeel 
the boats would shiver and shake with the concussion. Those 
men who were in the water were knocked breathless with each 
explosion, and in a few cases were rendered unconscious. 

The noise of the depth bombs, the bursting of the distress and 
illuminating rockets, together with the reports from the destroy- 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

er's deck guns, created the impression that a naval battle was in 
progress. Most of the boys, and they had some excuse for their 
belief, were sure we were being shelled by the Germans. How r - 
ever, later information convinced us that the submarine had left 
the vicinity immediately following its successful attack on our 
convoy. 

While the work of abandoning ship was in progress our rescuers 
were added to by a number of trawlers and smaller fishing boats 
which helped in gathering in the survivors. These vessels to- 
gether with the destroyers combed the vicinity picking up men in 
lifeboats and rafts. Each bit of wreckage was closely scanned on 
the possibility of there being someone clinging to it. In this way 
the majority of the living were rescued. A few swimming alone 
and helpless were left. Darkness and the wide area over which 
the rafts and boats were scattered made it impossible to find 
them all. Three lifeboats, each more than filled with its com- 
plement of men, were overlooked. Among the first away from 
the big ship, they had drifted quite a distance before the rescue 
work had fairly commenced. With no guidance and at the mercy 
of the wind and waxes they drifted aimlessly for several hours 
and then were dashed upon the cliffs of the Isle of Islay, Scotland. 
Out of more than sixty men in one of these boats there were but 
eight saved. It was here that the greater part of our loss was 
sustained. 

A combined search for the submarine and survivors was 
kept up until early morning by the torpedo boat destroyer and 
trawlers. When it seemed as though further search was useless 
they entered various ports of the north of Ireland. The men 
were landed chiefly at Londonderry., I.arne and Buncranna. A few- 
were scattered at various other places in along the coast and also 
in Scotland. In a week's time we had located our different groups 
of saved and again resumed some sort of organization. At this 
time we left for Winchester. England, where we were stationed 
five weeks. This time was used in getting us supplies of equip- 
ment and clothes, of which we had none to spare. Many of the 
men were dressed in British sailors uniforms, British soldiers 
uniforms and even civilian clothes. Finally we were made 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



presentable enough and were permitted to sail for France and 
take our place so long waiting for us. 

Leaving Southampton March 23rd we proceeded a la cattleship 
to La Havre, France, staying one day. Next we entrained for 
Angers, the Engineer replacement headquarters. The following 
three weeks were spent in accumulating equipment and other- 
wise reorganizing our outfit. Due to the loss of all our records 
this work took up much time but was finally completed. During 
these weeks, too, we spent long hours in mastering the intricacies 
of trench digging, pontoon bridge building, and other war-like 
occupations. Rumor — with some basis of fact — had it that we 
were to be placed in the Pioneer Engineers and sent to the assistance 
of the forces defending Paris on the occasion of the memorable 
drive of the spring of 1918. However, Headquarters decided that 
we could better serve by staying with our original plans, so on 
April 1 2th we started for the maritime pine districts of the Landes. 

On the 13th we arrived al Castets which proved to be the 
scene of our operations till a month before the Armistice. Here 
our Battalion was attached to the British Forestry Service. We 
started operations with three mills. "D or the 16th Co., operated 
a 20,000 ft. capacity Canadian mill and "E" and "F" or the 17th 
and 18th Cos., each operated a 10.000 Clarke mill. The loth and 
17th Cos. mills were right in the outskirts of the town and the 
18th Cos. mill about five kilometers outside. 

Those months spent on the Spanish Front were replete with 
the usual events of Army — or Twentieth Engineers — life. Oc- 
casionally some Major Ceneral would drop around and give us the 
"so this is Paris" but for the most part we were left alone in our 
isolation. It was here that the outfit received the nickname of 
"The Fighting Sixth" — this beacuse of the constant lack of 
harmony and cooperation evidenced by our commissioned heads. 
Despite this handicap, the men under the able generalship of 
Major F. S. Kellog, were able to assist materially in putting a 
spoke in Wilhelm's wheel. The Sixth was composed of the best 
men of the country — any of the outfit will admit it — and the spirit 
of the enlisted personnel was truly remarkable. Their experience 
on the "Tuscania" had drawn them together such as no other 



I IlSTORY OF THE TWENTIETH ENGINEERS 



influence could have clone, ancl that spirit of unity and cooperat ion 
was dominant till the last day in France — dominant even in those 
unforgettable days of the post Armistice injustice imposed on us 
in the Burnt Area, when nothing short of a miracle would induce 
the boys to put their whole heart in the work. 

When the cut was almost completed in October, the Sixth 
turned over all mill equipment to the British who continued t he- 
work with the aid of several hundred German prisoners of war. 
The Battalion moved to a new locality some fifty kilometers 
north, the 18th Co. to Captieux, and the 16th and 17th Cos. to 
Labrit near by. Here we operated three small mills of 10,000 
ft. capacity and one bolter mill. In about a month the work at 
Labrit was halted by the Armistice, and after another month of 
cleaning up the whole Battalion concentrated at Captieux in the 
Burnt Area. 

The Armistice had been signed a month but still the work went 
on —ten hour shifts. Not only did the work go on. but the weeks 
ancl months, with little prospects for moving. It was during these 
days that there were so many fantastic rumors abroad regarding 
our sailing. One of the most widely known was that the Twentieth 
Regiment was to build its own transport to return in. I he next 
hearing had it that sawmill machinery was to be utilized for 
power. A following version related how the Fourth Battalic n 
at Mimizan en the Coast had the keel laid and some of the ribs in 
place and that bookings for passage were being made. And so 
it went. Finally, though, we received orders to proceed to Bordeaux 
and the embarkation camp at Genicourt. We arrived at that 
receiving camp the 11th of May and embarked on the "Santa 
Paula" on the 14th. following which we promptly observed that 
quaint custom of depositing our emergency rations in the Gironde 
River, a rite grown almost sacred with the departing from the 
Bassens dock. 

After a seemingly unnecessarily roundabout voyage our little 
steamer sighted the "Old Country." May the 28th, 1919, was 
the welcome clay — the day that so many of us were to see Liberty's 
face for the last time, for as one lumberjack remarked "She 11 
have to turn around if she ever sees me again." 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

That same day — the 28th — we proceeded to Camp Merritt, 
when the last sad adieus were made and the Battalion broken 
up into detachments hound for far corners of the country — hut 
not so far but what the comradship of the service, the comradship 
of 'The Fighting Sixth" will always exist as one of pleasant 
remembrances of Over There. 




The Seventh Battalion 

The 7th Bn., 20th Engineers, was organized at Camp American 
University, D. C, January 15, 1918, consisting of three com- 
panies (A, B and C) of 250 men each; Headquarters Detachment 
of 24 men; and Medical Detachment of 16 men. The personnel 
came from all sections of the country, the battalion at one time 
having men from 47 states as well as Alaska and Hawaii terri- 
tories. The states of California, Pennsylvania, and Montana were 
in the majority in about equal numbers; there was also a heavy 
representation from the other northwest states, from the Carol inas 
and Tennessee, and from the southwest. As soon as A and B 
Companies were organized they were sent to Bel voir on the 
Potomac, now Camp Humphries, Va., where they suffered dis- 
comforts equal to anything they later endured in France. In 
the meantime C Company was filled up. About February 1st. 
Maj. C. E. Clark of Wilmington, N. C, was placed in command; 
A and B Companies moved back from Bel voir, and the time was 
spent in drill and preparation for overseas service. 

On the afternoon of February 15th the battalion marched 
through the streets of Georgetown, crossed Aqueduct Bridge 
just below Ft. Myer, and entrained at Rosslyn, Va. The unit 
at that time had 20 officers and 777 men. The following morning 
the outfit detrained at Jersey City, were transported by ferry to 
Hoboken, and marched on board the "Pastores," formerly a 
"banana boat ' in the Central American trade, but destined to 
make more trips to France with troops than any other vessel. 
In addition to the 7th Battalion we took over two companies of 
replacements for the 1st and 2nd Engineers. 

The transport dropped down the bay on the 16th, and on the 
17th began the voyage across the Atlantic in company with seven 
other transports convoyed by the cruiser "Huntingdon." The 
crossing was made by the southern route and fine weather was en- 
joyed during the entire voyage, which was without incident 
with the exception of a submarine scare on March 1st. We were 
always of the opinion that we accounted for a U-boat but this 
was never confirmed. 

On the morning of March 4th, the convoy entered the port of 
St. Nazaire, the unit debarking and marching in the rain to Camp 



History of the Twentieth Rnc.ineers 



No. 1, where we seen formed an acquaintance with vin rcuge and 
"Woodbines.' - The former acquaintance ripened into a warm 
and lasting friendship. After a few days we recieved orders to the 
effect that the outfit was detailed for duty with the French Army, 
and on March 12th made the journey by rail to the stations we 
were to occupy for eleven long months. At Tours, B Company 
left us, going to E^lois, Loire et Cher, where they made camp in 
the center of the Foret de Russy, a few miles south of the city. 
This was to he die scene of their labors until late in the summer, 
when they moved camp to the village of Mont, on the railway 
southeast of Blois. 

Headquarters with A and C Companies proceeded to Chateau 
roux, Indre. where the two former units detrained, C Company 
going on to the village of Ardentes, 13 kilometers southeast. A 
Company marched to the tiny village of LePoinconnet, 5 kilos 
south of Chateauroux on the northern edge of the Foret de 
Chateauroux. Company C established camp just west of Ardentes 
on the eastern edge of the same tract — a fine forest of oak and 
beech easily accessible by roads maintained by the French forest 
service. Headquarters Det. remained in Chateauroux, a city oi 
some size: after being quartered a few days at the French Artillery 
Caserne, headquarters was established in a vacant wing of the 
Hotel Ste. Catherine, and was maintained there until about 
June 1st, when it was moved to the sawmill camp south of t he- 
railroad yards. At this time we were the only American troops 
in this vicinity with the exception of Base Hospital No. 9, on the 
eastern outskirts of the city. 

Logging operations were started almost at once, and by the 
end of May the sawmills were in operation- that of Co. A at 
Chateauroux, Co. B at Mont, Loire et Cher, and Co. C at Ardentes. 
Each company had two 5M ft. bolter mills, and during most of 
the time up to the armistice these were run (Jay and night. A 
keen rivalry developed between the shifts at each mill, and be- 
tween the three companies, some extraordinary cuts were 
made. One company hung up a record of 04,000 board feet of 
lumber and ties on a 5M mill with 48 inch circular saw, in 10' 4 
hours. 



£,®JSB 2s TIES FffiBffl 

:::':. zmm 

TO THE, - ■ 









THIS "WLU"" 




10th Engineers Mill wi> Yard at Morti mur 



1*1 1 








' 


















'■ 


. 








^ : 


■ 




.. 







View of The Mill at Ciez Coulol iture 




The 6th Battalion Mills at Castets, Landes 
The 17th Co. mill in the foreground and 16th Co. mill in the background. 




Loading Motor Truck With Jammer 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



While the mills were kept going at full capacity, the output 
going to the French Army at the frcnt, numerous other tasks were 
assigned to the battalion, from handling steel rails at Montier- 
chaume after the ! 1th Engrs. left for the front, to setting cater- 
pillar tractors and tanks at Gievres, '.'and the army never found 
a job at which the 20th Engrs. did not make good.) 

On August 1st, Maj. Clark was sent back to the United States 
and Capt. H. A. Maas of Company A was placed in command 
oi the battalion the work going on with uninterrupted vigor. 
After the armistice the night shifts were discontinued and the 
strain somewhat relieved. Early in January orders were received 
to be reach' to sail about February 15th. and the battalion was 
released from duty with the French Army February 1st. The 
powers that were, however, decreed that the outfit should remain 
in France to help rebuild and repair roads worn out by American 
Army transport, and after a few days of "grousing" the men fell 
to their new and unfamiliar task with the same energy and spirit 
which had distinguished their former efforts. A and C Companies 
remained at their stations: B Company was moved by truck 
from Mont to Verdome, Loire et Cher, on the main road from 
Tours to Paris, and Bn. Hq. was established in a chateau op- 
posite the ancient church at Vendome February 12, 1919, just 
eleven months after their arrival at Chateauroux. Capt. Maas 
was appointed district officer in charge of engineer work in that 
vicinity. In addition to B Company a company of the 8 loth 
Pioneer Infantry was placed at his disposal. 

At this time the 6th Cavalry moved into the Caserne Rocham- 
beau at \ endome, and we were given the task of remodeling this 
old brench cavalry post for them. The old mangers and stalls 
were torn out and replaced, a complete water and electric lighting 
system was installed, kitchens, mess-halls and bath-houses built, 
roads resurfaced, in short it was made a model post capable of 
quartering 2000 men and their mounts. 

Late in April we were notified to be ready to move by May 
1st, and on May 5th entrained for the first leg of the journey 
home. The battalion was reunited at Tours — the first time in 
fourteen months that they had been together, and proceeded to 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



Nantes. Detraining there the battalion marched to the billeting 
area of St. Sebastian on the outskirts of the city. Here ten 
pleasant days were spent — looeys and sergeants drilling their 
platoons, company clerks feverishly preparing reports and 
rosters, the rank and file making the most of the beautiful weather 
— playing baseball (it might be well to mention that B Company's 
team never suffered a defeat in France) and swimming in the 
river. It was here that little Gemes Economou was drowned on 
the eve of going home after fifteen weary months in France. 

On the morning of May 16th the outfit moved by train to 
St. Nazaire, going through the cootie mill that afternoon. The 
next afternoon we marched to the docks and embarked on the 
"Kroonland," dropping down the bay soon afterward. The 
voyage was without incident: on the morning of the 29th the 
shores of the U. S. A. appeared over the horizon, and before noon 
we had passed the Statue of Liberty and debarked at Hoboken. 
The battalion went by ferry to Jersey City and by train to 
Tenafly, whence we marched to Camp Merritt, which seemed a 
paradise in contrast to overseas conditions. That night came 
another session with the cootie mill; the following day began the 
dispersion of the unit into casual companies bound for discharge 
camps in various sections of the country, amid much exchanging 
of addresses and many heartfelt farewells. As we had more men 
from California than any other state, the battalion itself was sent 
to the Presidio at San Francisco, where it was mustered out June 
15, 1919. Thus ended the military career of the unit, but the 
memories of its service in France, and the friendships made among 
its members will never he forgotten. 




The Eighth Battalion 

Organization of the Eighth Battalion was commenced about 
January 20th, 1918, replacing in training-quarters the Sixth, who 
left Washington January 22nd for their ill-starred voyage on the 
"Tuscania." Recruiting brought the Eighth to strength within 
a few weeks, but recurrent outbreaks of mumps, measles and 
scarlet fever made constant replacements necessary, most of 
them being drawn from the Tenth Battalion, which was then 
serving as a Depot organization. Just before leaving American 
University Camp about 60 replacements were drawn from the 
Tenth, so that the Eighth was but loosly organized when it started 
for France. 

The Battalion left Washington February 25th, 1918, with 22 
officers and 797 men, and boarded U. S. S. "Mount Vernon," 
formerly the German liner "Kronprincessin Cecilie" the next 
day. February 27th they sailed for France, arriving after an 
uneventful voyage at Brest, March 10th. The following day they 
disembarked and marched to Pontanezan Barracks, which had 
previously housed our Third, Fourth and Fifth Battalions. 

After four clays of rest and drill the outfit was split into its 
component parts. Battalion headquarters and Co. D were sent 
to their assigned districts in the Loire Valley; Co. E to the Landes, 
far to the south, and F to the Swiss border. Unlike most of the 
Forestry units, the companies were never re-united, and the 
Battalion, as a military organization, ceased to exist, except on 
paper. 

Co. D, later renamed the 22ncl Co., left Brest with the Head- 
quarters Detachment, and proceeded to their assigned station, 
La Mallarclais, near the town of Le Gavre, in the lower valley of 
the Loire. For four days the outfit assimilated the climate, 
billeting in pup-tents on an oozy field. With the arrival of en- 
gineering equipment, construction was started on a mill of 10,000 
capacity, and logging commenced with horses and tractors. Head- 
quarters was removed to Bauge, in which a new district organiza- 
tion was established, including the operations at Le Gavre, 
Rennes, Marchenoir, and several smaller camps. 

May 3rd a force of 100 men of the 22nd Co. were detached for 
duty with Co. A of the Tenth Engineers ; 50 were sent to Chambord, 



History of inr; Iwimiiiii Engineers 



Loir-et-Cher, and the rest to Lambel-Camors, Morbihan. The 
Le Gavre camp was retained, and the mill operated, until after 

i he .Armistice, the <>nl\ important changes in the^Co. personnel 
being the dispatch of 60 mechanics to the Epinal District, where 
ihc\ became a part of the Forestry unit attached to the First 
Army, operating in the St. Mihiel and Argonne areas. 

Sawing was completed at Le Gavre December 22nd. 1918; 
lour weeks later the 22\k\ Co moved to the camp of the 23rd Co. 
(D of the Fourth Battalion), at Marchenoir, where homecoming 
preparations were commenced. As with ever} other Forestry 
outfit, these plans were spurlos versenkt, and the 22nd were 
ordered to Blois for road work 

I ebruary Nth the unit commenced work on five hundred kilo- 
n eters ol highway, with a set of stone crushers and 500 German 
prisoners as the principal equipment After completing 300 
miles ol metalled road, hall the Co were ordered to Paris to 
complete the construction i I the "Pershing Stadium." which had 
keen started by French civilian labojr. The civilian (owe had 
struck tor better terms, and the job was completed by American 
troops, most of whom, under the priority plans of the Secretary 
o\ War. were overdue at I 1 boken. 

The 22nd was reunited earl} in June, and sent to LeMans. 
whence the\ proceeded to St. Nazaire June ! Jth. Two days later 
tke\ sailed lor home ^\) the transport "Texan, and arn\ed at 
Newport News June 29th 1919 rhere the outfit was dissolved 

To take o\ er part ()\ the burden placed upon the earlier Forestry 
troops in the Landes Co I was ordered south from Bresl \ 
three day trip down the Biscay coast, through Brittany, Vendee, 
and Gascony, brought them to Labouheyre, a railroad center in 
the heart of the pine woods. The unit was here divided, hall the 
Company going eastward to Mont-de-Marsan, the remainder, 
with the company organization, joining their lot with the Fourth 
Battalion in the coastal dune region. 

The latter detachment made camp in March in the center of 
one of the largest unpeopled tracts in France on the once-a-week 
railway, 8 miles north of district heade|uarters at Mimizan-les- 
Bains, and but two miles from the shores of Biscay. The ubiquitous 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

French forester who patrolled the region assigned the name 
Pendell to the new settlement, though where he got the name is 
one of the unsolved mysteries oi the War. 

The detachment erected an American mill of 10,000 rated 
capacity, and logged a difficult area of maritime pine. The 
operation called for extensive narrow-gauge railway development, 
the yielding character of the unprotected sands making long 
skidding, trucking or wheeling impracticable. 

In common with the other units of the Mimizan district, Co. 
E, now the 10th Co., struggled through a memorable summer. 
The intense heat of the Midi, aggravated by insufficient food, and 
punctuated with a disastrous visit of the flu in August, was a 
severe Lest of morale. The advent of fall weather was no where 
more eagerly welcomed, if only for the restoration of the long- 
forbidden privilege of smoking on the joh. 

The other detachment of the 10th Co. was assigned an operation 
near the Department capital, Mont-de-Marsan, within the Dax 
(First Battalion) control. They also worked in maritime pine 
timber, but of a less gnarled and windswept nature, and on 
firmer ground than the quartz sand dunes of the Mimizan neigh- 
borhood. 

After the Armistice the company wound up their affairs and 
moved mills and barracks bags to the Pontenx Burnt Area, where, 
in January, 1919, they became units in the great cleanup campaign 
undertaken on the hypothesis that "Lafayette, we are still here." 
Four weary, muddy months brought the big job to completion, 
and the 10th Co.. now attached to the Tenth [battalion organiza- 
tion, prepared for a change of scene. 

After undergoing the usual ordeals, the outfit boarded the 
transport, "K. I. Luchenbach. in company with most of their 
fellows of the Burnt Area, May 16th. The crossing was made at 
freighter's speed; Hoboken finally received her due June 1st. The 
unit was ferried to Alpine Landing, on the Hudson, and hiked 
to Camp Mills, where the war was officially found to be over. 

Co. I', having left Brest in the accept 40-Hommes fashion 
March 11th, traveled eastward and upward for three days and 
nights, finally reaching the border Department of Doubs. in the 



History <>i i'iih Twentieth Engineers 



Alsatian Alps. The Co. detrained at the village of Etalons, from 
which, four clays later, half the unit detached themselves and 
pushed on to the hamlet of Maison du Bois, where they made 
permanent camp. This detachment held the distinction of being 
the nearest American unit to neutral soil, the camp being less 
than two miles from the Swiss boundary. 

I he locality was highly attractive, abounding in natural 
beauty of (lowers and trees, at an elevation of 3000 feet. Both 
halves of the company held their original stations through the 
summer and winter of 1918, conducting their mill and woods opera- 
tions until orders came to prepare for home and mother. 

The first westward move was made April 28th, when the 
Maison detachment returned to Etalons. The reunited Company 
drilled and waited until May 21st, when they crowded into 
trucks, ambulances and jitneys and started for America over- 
land. Passing through A. E. E. Headquarters at Chaumont, 
they brought up at Rimincourt, pushing on to Le Mans four 
days later. 

June 1st the outfit routemarched to Laigne for a week of final 
preparations. On the 10th the last stage of French journeyings 
was covered, and five days later the Company sailed from St. 
Nazaire aboard I S. S. 'Tiger." Sixteen months to a day since 
leaving the shores of America the 24th Co. landed at New York. 
July 1st saw the final dissolution of the organization. 




The Ninth Battalion 

The Ninth was the latest of the original Battalions of the 
Twentieth to form, its primary organization occurring in February, 
1918. Both the Seventh and Eighth departed from Camp Ameri- 
can University during the latter part of February, leaving the 
Ninth and Tenth, and the three auxiliary Road and Bridge 
Battalions, to divide the recruits, then arriving steadily in large 
contingents from all parts of the nation. The Ninth reached 
authorized strength early in March, and was rapidly equipped 
and trained. Farlier difficulties in obtaining troop and engineering 
supplies had been largely overcome, and the Battalion reported 
ready with a minimum delay. After the customary inspection 
the outfit entrained for "An Atlantic Port," March 27th, and 
sailed two days later aboard the crack transport "Northern 
Pacific. Despite the increased submarine activity, the voyage 
was unmarred, and the convoy reached Brest April <^th. 

Upon arrival the Ninth Battalion was scheduled for duty in 
the Jura Mountain region of eastern France, and proceeded to 
report for , assignments to the Besancon Forestry District, under 
the administration of the Second Battalion, Tenth Engineers 
I pon the advent of the Ninth, a new district was created, with 
headquarters at La Cluse, later removed to Bourg, the capital 
of the Department of Ain, in the valley of the Saone. The region 
abounded in dense stands of softwoods, chiefly fir, and its ex- 
ploitation marked the widening of American Forestry activities 
toward the largest territory in France as yet untapped. 

Like nearly all the Battalions, the Ninth was due for its 
share of separations. Co. A. later the 25th Co., was detached 
from the organization anel sent to the Epinal District, where they 
became one of the many units of the extensive force operating 
w ithin range of enemy raids in the Nancy sector. 

Companies B and C, later styled the 26th and 27th, remained 
with the Bour<4 District, constructing and operating mills at 
Mouthc. in the Doubs. anel Murat, Cantal, and developing camps 
at Oyonnax, and Brenod, Ain. The mill at Mouthe was of 20,000 
capacity, and during its rtin piled up some enviable records. The 
Murat mill was rated 10,000. 

In June the district was reinforced b\ the addition of the 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



49th Co. (D of the 43 Engineers) who took over the operation at 
Muray, the 26th concentrating at Brenod. Murat was so far 
distant from Bourg — upwards of 150 miles — that administration 
presented increasing difficulties, and the situation was met by 
creating another new district, with the headquarters organization 
of the Fourteenth Battalion (43rd Engineers), in control. The 
I he new offices were established at Le Puy. 

After the Armistice all of the companies of the Ninth were 
included in the list destined for Burnt Area service. Headquarters 
was not included in the orders, their organization being trans- 
ferred to Besancon, replacing the Tenth Engineers, Twelfth 
Battalion, who started for home by right of senority. The opera- 
tions of the Bourg district were included in the Besancon field, 
and Ninth Headquarters undertook to close out a total of fourteen 
camps — nine of Besancon and five of Bourg. 

January 15th, the 26th and 27th started on the long trail to 
the Landes. The change of scene was complete. From the snow- 
clad foothills of the Jura Alps to the swampy sedges of Gascony, 
a three day journey through mountains, upland and valley 
and at the end, a dismal prospect of weary months, toiling in 
bottomless mud. The 25th rejoined their comrades on the job, 
and for nearly four months, while the bright minds of the world 
wrangled problems of reconstruction, the Burnt Area crew settled 
one specific problem beyond danger of resurrection. 

The job finally reached conclusion early in May, and the 
units started homeward, sailing from Bassens for Hoboken and 
Camp Merritt and 1 lome, aboard the "K. 1. Luckenbach," May 
16th, 1919. 

Co. D of the 43rd, the 49th and fag-end company of the 
Twentieth, reported to the La Cluse-Bourg District, Ninth 
Battalion, and were given charge of the Murat operation, in the 
upper valley of the river Allier, in south central France. Here 
they operated a McDonough sawmill of 10,000 rated capacity. 
The region was rich in timber resources, and its importance led 
to the establishment of a new Forestry district at LePuy, sixty 
miles to the east, with Fourteenth Battalion Headquarters in 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

control. At the cessation of hostilities several new camps were 
in progress of development in the neighborhood. 

Upon release from the Le Puy District the -Nth Co. was sent 
to join the assembleel Forest troops in the Landes, and spent the 
spring in road repair details around Pontenx and Labouheyre. 
After the Fourth E^attalion left for home, early in May, the 4°)th 
took over the job of liquidating the American mills in the Dax 
district, as well as at Pontenx, Mimizan and the Burnt Area. 
Sale of the bulk of equipment remaining to French railway in- 
terests closed the need for garrison functions, and the scattered 
details started for the States, leaving only a forlorn rearguard, 
and warped and silent shanties, to reeall to the Landais villagers 
the boom days of T7-T9. 



^#t> -/^'K^ r ^ fifc **£ 





Typical Muddy Road, Ciez Coulouture 



The Tenth Battalion 

The Tenth and final Battalion of the Twentieth Engineers was 
formed in December, 1917, to function as a Depot unit for the 
earlier Battalions. For three months it served as a halfway station, 
between the recruit barracks, Walter Reed Hospital, and the 
outfits destined for immediate embarkation. During this period 
its personnel changed constantly, and it was not until the Ninth 
left for France, March 26th, 1918, that the Tenth was seriously 
organized as an overseas Forestry unit. 

Six weeks of drill, equipping and waiting, in about equal 
parts, and the rearguard left Camp American University May 6th, 
sailing from Hoboken two days later aboard the "Pastores," 
which had already conveyed the Seventh Battalion across. On 
this voyage she joined a large convoy of 1 3 transports. The 
impetus given troop movements by the German drive was manifest 
in every phase of the trip. No subs were encountered, though 
the convoy came in for a thrill when an unwary whale poked his 
periscope over the surface, and became an immediate and total 
loss. 

The convoy anchored in Brest harbor Vlay 23rd, and the 
Tenth Battalion were lightered ashore the next day. The cus- 
tomary but entirely misnamed rest camp at Pontenezan sheltered 
them for a week, while plans were completed for their movement 
to permanent stations. As with most of the Forestry units, 
the outfit was split up, Co. F being ordered to the Epinal district. 
under Second Battalion Headquarters, while the remainder of 
the Tenth were assigned a new district, with Bourges, in the 
center of France as headquarters. 

Like the Third and Fourth, the Tenth Battalion went over- 
seas with considerable extra strength. The attached men were 
designated as casuals, and were to be employed as replacements 
in earlier Battalions. While at Brest the extra men, 96 in all, 
were assembled and attached to Co. D, with whom they remained 
until July. Their further adventures were varied: from one 
outfit to another they drifted, always with that dazed atmosphere 
that clings to a confirmed casual. The entire group were trans- 
ferred to the Sixth Battalion in July; the majority of them were 
almost immediately sent out on detached service, nearly all the 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



Forestry camps in the Landes region receiving a quota. About 
forty were finally transferred into the 1 1th and 12th Co.s, north of 
Mimizan, on the Coast, hut retained their traditional luck by 
being held on detached duty with neighboring operations until 
after the Armistice. Of all the veterans of the Twentieth, the 
orphan % must surely be accorded the Fourragere de S. O. L. 
avec palme. Always going, coming, or there; and there meant the 
worst details, the slimmest chances for leave, the leakiest tents; 
no chance for stripes, castles or wheels; no mail from home for 
months on end. 

May 29th, 1918, Tenth Battalion Headquarters and Co.s D 
and E left Brest for the Dept. of Cher. The headquarters de- 
tachment took up quarters in the ancient city of Bourges, with 
the companies deployed for duty in neighboring oak forests. 

Co. D, soon to be renamed the 28th Co., arrived at their 
permanent station May 30th, 1918, at the village of La Celle 
Bruere, Cher. The first night was spent in a military manner — 
pup-tents in the foreground. Camp construction and logging 
occupied the first two weeks. June 14th the first carload of mill 
machinery arrived, and by dint of day and nightly exertion the 
first board from the 20M capacity American mill was sawn 
June 29th. 

From the first the operation presented difficult problems. 
In July the unit was required to rebuild the ancient bridge span- 
ning the Cher, the required timbers being brought over a thirteen 
mile haul. At all stages of logging activities, the French regulation 
requiring trees to be felled even with the ground worked trouble, 
the oak stand running unusually heavy to swelled butts. 

As Fall set in, the injudicious location of the mill site and camp 
became apparent. The locality was low and undrained, and at 
one time camp and mill were flooded. 

In August a detachment of 29 men were detailed to operate a 
French sawmill at La Ferte St. Aubin, Loiret, with a force of 
220 civilians. The trials and temptations of this unit were legion. 
The only available interpreter in the outfit was the cook, and 
his leisure moments were in more frequent demand than supply. 

The strength of the La Celle operation was increased, early in 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



August, by the arrival of the 1 3th Service Co. After the Armistice 
the demand for fuelwood in the northern camps necessitated 
further increase in the force, and Cos B and C of the 347th 
Labor Battalion arrived December 21st. 

Apart from cessation of timber felling, the Armistice made no 
change in the program for the 28th Co. It was not until March 
that working hours were reduced from ten to eight. The mill 
was shut down late in January. From that time until the first 
of May fuel production occupied all hands. The final duties at 
La Celle Bruere included the repair of about 40 miles of highway. 

Memorial Day, 1919 — exactly a year from the Company's 
arrival — the outfit entrained for Le Mans, where for ten days the 
formalities designed for fitting soldiers for ocean trips occupied 
the time. The next move was to Brest, whence the 28th and 
29th Co.s embarked June 23rd aboard the battleship "New 
Jersey."' The voyage, unmarked by speed or incident, ended at 
Newport News the 4th of July. Two days later final inspection 
was held in the torrid Virginia sun. and the 28th and 2^th Co.s, 
20th Engineers, stepped out of the Army lists into history. 

The 29th Co. had been assigned an operation at Chenonceaux, 
some twenty miles east of Tours. A separate woods camp was 
established in the Foret de Amboise, several miles from the mill. 
Logging and sawing were carried on steadily till late in January, 
after which fuel production continued until the ubiquitous road 
work fell clue. The outfit drew as its quota a radial group of 
highways east of Tours, and labored until the first of June, when 
departure was ordered. They left Chenonceaux June 3rd, and 
joined the 28th for the homeward trip. 

Company F left Brest June 1st. 1918, under orders attaching 
them to Second Battalion Headquarters at Epinal, in the Vosges. 
A three day trip in third-class cars brought them to their per- 
manent station, the village of Cornimont, in the valley of the 
Moselotte, about twelve miles south of Granges, where Co. D of 
the Second Battalion was operating. 

The first day in the new camp had its thrills. A bevy of 
enemy planes hove into view, and were greeted with a fusillade of 
A. A. fire from batteries surprisingly nearby. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



While construction of F Co.'s new 20-M mill was under way 
at La Bresse, nine miles above Cornimont, half the outfit were 
detailed to Granges, where they assisted the 4th Co. until August 
2nd. The mill of the 6th Co., as F was later designated, was 
completed June 29th. A night shift was commenced two weeks 
later. 

Reminders of the proximity of the enemy lines — eight miles — 
were frequent. Almost daily visits of German planes, and con- 
stant clamor of artillery, were supplemented by the passing of 
combat troops to and from the lines. This sector was held by 
the French most of the time, though several American divisions, 
the Sight-seeing 6th, the 35th. and 88th. were present for short 
periods. 

Late in August the unit was reinforced by a company of the 
517th Service Battalion. September 1st a small detachment 
sent to operate with the First Army Forestry Force near Verdun, 
where the\ served until after the Armistice. 

The mill operated until December 24th. Ten days later the 
mill and woods force returned to Cornimont. where the yard and 
shipping detail had been stationed. A week of cleanup details, 
and the outfit bade farewell to the Vosges and entrained for their 
second hitch of i orestry in the Burnt Area of the Landes, whither 
their old Battalion Headquarters had already reported, accom- 
panied by Co. G (31st Co.). From this time on the 6th Co. re- 
mained with their original organization, leaving the Burnt Area 
for the neighboring camp at Lake Aureilhan May 9th, and for 
Bordeaux the 13th. 

Company G of the Tenth Battalion, the 31st Co. as finally 
known, was of unique origin and composition. As the records of 
the Chief of Engineers express it, the Sixth Battalion was au- 
thorized to be increased by one company, June 4th, 1918, and this 
company was transferred, upon organization, to the Tenth. As 
a matter of fact, the company was an outgrowth of the New 
England Forestry unit, a civilian group operating in Scotland, 
whose activities are narrated elsewhere in this volume. Upon 
completion of their tasks in Britain, the members of the unit were 
given the option of returning to the States or enlisting direct in 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 




The Mill at La Brf.ssf., in the Vosges, July 8, 1918 
This operation was frequently under enemy fire. 
' (U. S. Official.) 

the A. E. E. Of the number who elected to enlist, sufficient chose 
the Twentieth Engineers to form a Forestry Co. ; four men were 
commissioned in the Regiment, and H7 were enlisted. 

The new unit was sent to Winchester, in southern England, for 
training and equipment. Here they spent two months; started 
for France August 23rd, 1918, via Southampton and Cherbourg, 
and reached the Bourges (Tenth Battalion) District August 27th. 
For three weeks the unit was attached for duty to the 28th Co., at 
La Celle Bruere. As soon as equipment arrived, they were 
assigned a lumbering operation at Couleuvre, Dept. of Allier, 
and there they served until after the Armistice. 

The exploitation of the Pontenx Burnt Area, in the Landes, 
was of particular moment to the Tenth Battalion. Headquarters,' 
located up to this time at Bourges, and the 6th and 31st Com- 
panies, drew season tickets to the attraction. In fact, Tenth 
Battalion Headquarters was made the controlling organization 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



of the combined Districts of Pontenx and Mimizan, with Major 
P. E. Hinkley in command of a force consisting at its maximum 
of seventeen companies. 

The bulk of the Burnt Area force, including Tenth Head- 
quarters, the 6th and 31st Companies, left the Landes May 13th 
for Bordeaux, and embarked May 17th aboard the transport, 
"K. I. Luckenbach." They landed at Pier 8, Hoboken, June 
1st, 1919, ferried to a landing on the Hudson, and hiked the 
intervening eight miles, fullpack, to Camp Merritt, whence the 
last stages of musterout were put in action. 




^ 



i.'~ THE TROOPSHIP 
..::■•";:: is TonPEDOEC AA/i 
S~* 19 1 e. 
— shows nourr of s/xt/j s.-irr-;.:.^' 

ZO~T.\'G.V.'2:ET!S, SV: . ... ,'. 







Tin Graves ai Kinnabus, Oa. 




C I R I \H>N\ A I KlI.NAt (.11 I ON 




Kjl- 




The Gi P 




NlN I H BA I I Al ION LOGGERS 




25th Co. Camp in The Vosges 



The Forty-First Engineers 

i hirteenth Battalion, Twentieth Engineers) 

Plans for the formation of an auxiliary battalion of the 
Twentieth Engineers were perfected in December. 1917. and 
organization was commenced at Camp American University, 
D. C, early in January. As planned, the duties of the new unit 
were principally the building of roads and bridges necessary for 
production and delivery of forest products. Recruits arriving 
at Washington were assigned, and executives appointed, with 
this scheme in view. 

The unit was organized as a separate Regiment of Engineers, 
with four companies, and an authorized strength of 28 officers and 
1024 men. Its training period was brief, and interspersed with 
construction duty at the new Camp Humphreys. \ a.. 20 miles 
south of Washington. The windup of this period came Sunday, 
February 24th, 1918. when the outfit formed and started down 
Massachusetts Avenue for the waiting troop-train. Despite the 
usual military secrecy of the movement, a brigade of Washington 
damsels happened around, with a display of sentiment that would 
have justified the assumption that Hearst had put out a Special 
Edition on the event. 

At 8 the morning of the 26th, the Regiment sailed from New 
York Harbor aboard the giant transport "Olympic." The third day 
out a convoy of three American chasers attached themselves. The 
trip proved exciting. On two occasions submarines were en- 
countered. The first. March 1st, was supposedly sunk. The 
second, which attacked three days later, in plain view of the 
troops on deck, was sunk by a depth tomb. 

The outfit landed at Liverpool March 5th. and entrained at 
once for the American restcamp at Winnaldown, Winchester. 
By unusual luck the men were accorded an opportunity to visit 
historic points about Winchester — the Cathedral and ancient 
Saxon ruins. 

March 10th the journey was continued. Crossing the channel 
from Southampton, the 41st arrived at LeHavre. and went into 
rest camp for the second time. The next day they started into the 
unknown interior, crammed into the famed "Hommes 40s." 
After the usual jolts, the usual diet of bullybeef and hardtack. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

the usual complaints over whose feet were on your chest the 
night before, and the usual pointless orders not to get out of the 
car. Headquarters arrived at the village of Bricon. in the province 
of Haute Marne, twenty miles from Chaumont G.H.Q. 

For two weeks the detachment was the center of attraction for 
the inhabitants of Bricon, as they were the first Americans 
stationed there. By this time their permanent duties had been 
mapped out. The operation at Eclaron, Haute Marne, conducted 
by i he 5th and 8th Companies, had assumed sufficient importance 
to be directed as a separate district, and 41st Headquarters was 
assigned to the new administration. 

In the meantime Co. C, which was later styled the 40th Co. 
of the Twentieth Engineers, was also sent to Eclaron, and added 
to the working force of the camp. By this time the original plans 
for employment of the 41st as a road battalion had fallen through 
completely, and all its units had merged with older forestry es- 
tablishments 

Co. A (the 38th Co.) was attached to the Second Battalion, 
Epinal District, and arrived April 8th at Chatenois, 10 miles east 
of Xeufchateau, where they were at once added to the force of 
the 15th Co., logging and operating a French mill. From this 
time on to the Armistice the adventures of the 38th and 15th 
Companies were shared in common. 80 men of the 38th were 
sent to Hortes, 20 miles east of Langres, to assist the 15th de- 
tachment operating a camp and native mill. A further mixed 
detail took over a French mill at Lamarche, V'osges, June 12th. 
and a smaller force opened a tie camp at Merrey, Haute Marne. 
Both camps were abandoned in August, and the forces moved to 
Gironcourt, where an American mill was built, with a capacity 
of ten thousand board feet. 

Sweeping changes occurred August 28th, when the 38th and 
15th were relieved from duty in the Central or Chatenois area of 
the Epinal District and moved to the First Army Area in the 
Toul sector. From this time on the duties of the outfit were of a 
mobile nature. All through the region, covered by the First and 
Second Army operations, small camps were run, in some cases 
supplemented by portable mills. The 38th were represented at 




The Mill at Eclaron 
This operation was conducted successively by the 5th, 8th and 40th Companies. 



History o f the Twentieth Engineers 

most of the 14 camps, including three in the Argonne Forest. 

It was during this period that the most tragic incident in 
the career of the company occurred. Captain Harry E. Mc- 
Pherson, who was in charge of the mill at Ippecourt. near Soully, 
undertook a reconnaisance of newly-won ground with a view to 
moving camp forward as soon as the lines were advanced. Ac- 
companied by Lieut. W. A. hair, medical officer attached to the 
unit, and a Sergeant, the Captain traversed a clearing exposed 
to the enemy lines. A burst of machine gun fire opened, and the 
Captain fell mortally wounded. Lieut. Fair hurried to his assist- 
ance, regardless of the fusillade, and met death at his side. A 
determined stand by the Germans made the spot a no man's 
land for several days; when the ground was finally won the bodies 
had been interred, and their location could not be determined. 

For Lieut. Fair's bravery he was awarded a posthumous 
Distinguished Sen ice Cross — the only such decoration accorded 
a member of the Twentieth Engineers, and the only decoration 
awarded for other than executive service. 

I he memory of ( Captain McPherson and Lieut. Fair is revered 
by the veterans of the Company. The Captain had served with 
the 41st since its inception, and is remembered by those he led as 
a man of honor and ability 

Upon the cessation of fighting, the 58th was gradually brought 
together, and resumed company organization at Bains-les-Bains, 
Vosges, about the middle of December. Here they resumed 
routine work and busied themselves at fuel production. Eearly 
in April they journeyed to Tours, and served for two months on 
miscellaneous assignments, including convoy duty. Early in 
June they moved on to LeMans. accompanied by the 39th (Co. 
B of the 41st), and sailed from St. Nazaire the 14th, on the trans- 
port "Texan." which also carried the 22nd Co., Eighth Battalion. 
They landed at Newport News the 26th. 

The 39th Co. was attached throughout to the Dijon District, 
under the Third Battalion administration, in the Department of 
Cote d Or. Immediately after striking inland from LeHavrc, 
the outfit reported at Vanvey, to assist Co. E of the Tenth 
Engineers at that operation. Here they labored until the timber 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



available was exhausted, in July, when the force removed to St. 
Julian, 8 miles north of Dijon. The mill was rapidly built — a 
20,000 capacity McDonough — and logging started on a large 
scale. The strength of the operation was increased to 600 by the 
addition of the 47th Co. Shortly after the Armistice the 36th Co., 
as E of the Tenth was now designated, left for home, and in 
April the 39th started westward, and rejoined the 38th Co. 

Co. D (the 41st Co.), underwent a totally different course. 
From LeHavre they proceeded direct to the L.indes region in the 
south, arriving at Pontenx March 1 5th. for duty with the First 
Battalion, Tenth Engineers. At first the unit was split up. Half 
the company joined the 33rd Co., assisting at their logging camp 
on Aureilhan River for a month, then transferring to the mill 
on the lake. Early in August the detachment was moved east- 
ward to the hamlet of Sore, where they built a new mill. 

In the meantime the other detachment had been detailed 
to reinforce the Bourricose detachment of the Tenth Engineers 
(32nd Co.) operating a 20,000 mill two miles east of Pontenx. 
September 14th the Bourricose camp was turned over to the 41st 
intact, and 32nd relieving the Sore outfit. 

Though dangerously handy to the Burnt Area, the 41st drew 
a blank, and stayed on at their own camp until released from over- 
seas duty in May. They sailed aboard the "K. I. Luckenbach," 
May 17th, and were mustered out at Camp Merritt early in 
June. 

Headquarters Detachment conducted the Eclaron District 
until its abandonment, then shifted to St. Dizier, whence they 
stinted in May. 1919, for Brest and 1 lome. 





Load of Logs, Ciez Coulouture 



The Forty-Second Engineers 

(Fourteenth Battalion, Twentieth Engineers) 

Of all the Engineer troops incorporated in the Twentieth 
Regiment, perhaps the least-heralded and least-known was the 
second of our three original auxiliary Battalions, the 42nd En- 
gineers. While their sister units, the 41st and 43rd, were retained 
as Battalions of the Twentieth, and continued as units, though 
widely scattered, the 42nd was not accorded even this recognition, 
and the historian must speak of them only in terms of what they 
were before their regimental colors were retired. The 42nd 
drilled and trained and went to France as a unit, but their personnel 
came back as separate and orphaned companies. To their credit 
be it said that no members of the Forestry Regiment brought 
back better records or a higher morale. 

Organization of the 42nd was commenced early in March, 
1918. Like the 41st and 43rd, the unit was primarily intended 
for road and bridge work in connection with overseas forestry 
operations, it was with this in view that officers were assigned 
and noncoms advanced. Even before organization was begun, 
it was apparent that separate units for such duties were neither 
necessary nor practical, but the knowledge was not stressed, 
through some hitch in military channels, and it was not until the 
Regiment arrived in France that the revised program was made 
known to its executives. 

After a brief but intensive period of preparation, the unit 
left Camp American University at 5. P. M, May 8th, 1918. At 
1 1 the next morning they boarded the transport '"Abraham 
Lincoln," and sailed the next afternoon in convoy with twelve 
other carriers and a cruiser. The trip was comparatively un- 
eventful. The Lincoln dropped anchor at Brest May 22nd; 
next day, at 3 P. M., the 42nd landed on French soil, and marched 
to the Camp Bougen rest camp. Their first overseas duty was the 
unloading of the boat, and when the cargo was cleared the anchor 
was already hoisted home and the screws revolving. The last 
man ashore was Lieut. Glass, of Co. D. The next man to leave 
the "Abraham Lincoln" left in a hurry, as an enemy sub sank 
the big vessel on the homeward trip. 

Twenty-four hours after the outfit reached camp, the prevailing 



. History of the Twentieth Engineers 

confidence in immediate service at the front received a knock- 
out blow, when orders arrived for dispersal of the Regiment 
and attachment of the companies to various units of the Twentieth 
Engineers for Forestry duty. 

The scattering was rapid and thorough. Headquarters, Co. 
A, and half of Co. D were sent south to the Landes. Companies 
B and C went to the advance zone in the northeast. The remainder 
of Co. D also struck for the Vosges for temporary duty. 

From this time on, the story of the Forty-second is simply 
that of its component parts. Headquarters arrived at Pontenx- 
les-Forges, Landes, June 1st. and was attached for duty 'to the 
First Battalion of the Tenth Engineers. Shortly after, the de- 
tachment was transferred to Base Section No. 1, and ordered to 
St. Nazaire, where they severed connections with the Forestry 
Section. 

Co. A. after the reorganization known as the 42nd Co., were 
assigned a sawmill operation at Sabres, in the Pontenx District. 
Although never recruited or organized for such work, the outfit 
took hold with alacrity, and within a month were cutting far more 
than the rated capacity of their mill. They stayed at Sabres 
all through the war period, and left the Landes only when the 
windup of the Burnt Area job released the bulk of remaining 
Forestry troops. Early in May they joined the homeward-bound 
troops at Pontenx, and sailed from Bassens aboard the ship "K. 
I. Luckenbach," May 17th. 

The 43rd Co.. originally Co. B, likewise were fortunate enough 
to be held together. Their assigned station was the village of 
Vagney, in the Vosges mountains, not far behind the "quiet" 
Lorraine sector. From May, 1918, until the middle of January, 
1919, they logged and operated a mill, under direction of the 
l'.pinal District. 

The Co. turned over the camp to a cleanup detail, and left, 
January 17th, for Orville, Cote d'Or, where they were employed 
for four months on road repair, chiefly along the national highway 
between Dijon and Langres. Upon their release from duty, May 
16th, they headed for the coast, and after the inevitable delays, 
for home. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



Co. C (the 44th Co.). was also assigned to the Epinal District. 

The northern unit of Co. D, (45th Co.), was first ordered to the 
northeast, and spent a month cutting fuelwood in the vicinity of 
Bazoilles-sur-Meuse, six miles from Neufchateau. The detach- 
ment was then transferred to the Bauge district in Brittany, and 
built a sawmill at Rennes, the ancient capital of the dukedom. 
As soon as the operation was producing, the outfit was ordered 
back to the Vosges, where various auxiliary duties held them till 
after the Armistice. They were then added to the Burnt Area 
expeditionary force, and arrived in Plantenx in February. 

In the meantime the southern detachment, which reached 
the Lancles early in June, was attached to the Fourth Battalion 
for service in the Mimizan District. The half-company was again 
divided, details joining the 11th Co., at Lamanchs. and the 12th 
at les Pleyres. A few weeks later, the units were assigned to operate 
a new 10,000 capacity mill at Bias, south of Mimizan, and a detail 
of the 45th Co. had actually taken over the camp, when the 
superior persuasiveness of the commander of the newly-arrived 
15th Service Co. reversed the program, and the 45th were con- 
demned to spend the duration as extra gangs in the Fourth 
Battalion camps. 

After the Armistice two of the Mimizan District mills were 
removed to the Burn, and the southern detachment was detailed 
to accompany the 12th Co. Early in March the 45th Co. were 
brought together, but immediately reclivicled among the three 
operations. Upon release, May 9th, the outfit was once more 
united, and left for home in company with the 42nd and four other 
4 wentieth units. 

Arriving at Hoboken June 1st, the units were ferried to a 
landing eight miles from Camp Merritt, and despite the many 
railway facilities available, were hiked the distance under full 
equipment and a blazing sun. The last vivid memory of the 
42ncl vets is that of a Major, leading the march in an auto, and 
wildly condemning his subordinates for letting their men fill 
their canteens. It didn't matter, for the finish was in sight. 

Upon dispersal, most of the outfit were sent to Camp Dodge 
for discharge. The northern central states had furnished by far 



I 1 1 STORY OF THE TWENTIETH ENGINEERS 

the largest quota of the 42nd Engineers, though, like all the 
other Forestry battalions, all sections of the country were repre- 
sented . 




The Last Load, St. Ji lien 



The Forty-Third Engineers 

(Fifteenth Battalion, Twentieth Engineers) 

The last of the three Road and Bridge Battalions, and of the 
Forestry troops which served overseas, was the 43rd Regiment of 
Engineers, organized at Washington, D. C, in February, 1918. 
As formed, the outfit consisted of Headquarters Detachment and 
Companies A, B, C, and D. The greater part of the strength was 
drawn from recruiting centers and cantonments, largely from the 
middle west, but a considerable number of men were received 
from Walter Reed General Hospital — men who had been left 
behind by earlier Forestry contingents. The percentage of con- 
valescents making up Co. A was so large as to earn for that unit 
the sobriquet, "The Walter Reed Brigade." Camp Dodge was 
the heaviest contributor to the total strength of the Battalion. 
which was achieved early in April. 

Drill, fatigue, and equipping proceeded apace, and the unit 
was reported ready for overseas duty by the middle of May. 
In spite of the tremendous numbers of combat troops waiting for 
transportation, the demand for Forestry reinforcements brought 
quick action, and the 43rd started for Hoboken May 21st. They 
boarded the huge "Leviathan" the next day, and sailed the 23rd. 
The voyage was uneventful until noon of the 30th. when a nest of 
submarines attacked the transport. Troops were ordered to 
quarters, while the gunners gave battle to the enemy. A total of 
twenty-nine shots were fired and, as the official report laconically 
described the incident, two subs were sunk and two captured. 

The shores of Brittany hove into sight the same afternoon. 
and the outfit landed the next day. Following the footsteps of 
thousands of their comrades, they plodded up the cobbled streets 
of Brest, to the air of the "National Emblem March" played by 
the volunteer Band. While undergoing the customary period of 
rest, the companies were employed in camp improvements, sorely 
needed, as the survivors attest. 

Detailed plans for the employment of the 43rd as an addition 
to the Forestry section were received shortly. June 7th the 
Headquarters Detachment, and Companies A and B, entrained, 
in luxurious third class coaches, and started east. Three days 
later the expedition reached the city of Neufchateau, Vosges. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



On account of the proximity of the enemy lines the train was held 
here until twilight. During the wait occurred what is still re- 
membered by the veterans as the first real thrill of overseas ser- 
vice. It happened thus: The Band undertook to liven the wait 
with an impromptu concert. Among its audience was the French 
Colonel in local command, who was so enthused by the martial 
airs and general display of allied fraternity that he offered to buy 
for the bunch. Courtesy and inclination combined to force an 
eager acceptance, but just as the corks were popping a conscientious 
lieutenant took a hand, placed the band men under arrest and 




Loading Loo Wagon With Cross Haul 

ordered them back to the cars. The genial French commandant 
was much chagrined, and was only mollified by a round of apoligies. 

Proceeding under cover of darkness to Dijon, the contingent 
there broke up, and was never again united. Digressing, it is well 
to mention that, as finally reorganized in October, 1918, the 43rd 
Engineers became the Fourteenth Battalion of the Twentieth, 
Forestry. Companies A, B, C, and D were styled the 46th, 
47th, 48th and 49th Companies of the Twentieth. 

Co. A moved north from Dijon, arriving at Chatenois, home 
station of the 15th Co., June 15th. Here the outfit was split into 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



several detachments. One fraction accompanied the 1 5th on their 
First Army duty in the Argonne. The others were utilized as 
reinforcements to the many camps of the Twentieth in the Vosges, 
assisting the 4th. 6th, 2 5th and 43rd Companies. Routine duties, 
all heavy and all vitally necessary, filled the autumn and winter. 

In January, 1919, the scattered forces were assembled and 
assigned to salvage the camps vacated by companies moving to 
the Burnt Area in the Landes. After cleaning up the Granges and 
Brouvelieures operations, the 4oth moved to Eclaron, and made 
the final steps incidental to turning the establishment over to 
the French. Late in May the company started for home, and 
after stops at Xeufchateau, LeMans and Burges, they pushed on 
to the coast, and sailed June 24th on the battleship "Rhode 
Island." Following southern lines, they landed at Newport News, 
and were finally dispersed at Camp Stewart. 

Co. B. the 47th, arrived at St. Julien, Cote d'Or, June 10th, 
1918 and quickly got rid of the notion that Roads and Bridges 
were to be their meat. Co. E of the Tenth Engineers were con- 
ducting lumbering operations on an extensive scale, and the 47th 
were added to the woods force. For the duration of fighting, 
and seven months after, the outfit labored at St. Julien, leaving 
only for the home trip. 

June 7th, a year to the day after striking into the interior, 
the company entrained for embarkation camp. A stay of ten days 
at LeMans and fixe at St. Nazaire, and the outfit was on its wax- 
to the states aboard the transport "Mercury.'" They landed at 
Newport News the 5th of July, and struck the radial trails for 
home three days later. 

As were the 46th and 47th, so was the 48th detailed for duty 
as service reinforcements. During the summer and fall of 1918 
the members serx'ed with the 14th Co., Fifth Battalion, in the 
valley of the Yonne. southeast of Paris. The bulk of their xxork 
was at Subligney-Villeroy, in oak timber. A detachment of the 
48th assisted in logging piling, and hewing ties, at Mauny. 

Late in the fall the Company was detached from duty with the 
Fifth, and sent to Labrit District, south of Bordeaux, for duty with 
the Sixth Battalion, which had recentlv been released from service 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

for the British Army at Castets, further south. The 16th and 
1 7th Companies built and operated a large mill at Captieux, near 
Labrit, and the 48th was employed in this camp until the windup 
of operations in May. 




Road Reconstruction 

A detail of the Fortv-Tliird Kn<>iiieers 



The Auxiliaries 



No story of the Forestry Engineers in France can be fittingly 
told without frequent recognition of the worth of the various 
auxiliary troops who served with the Twentieth Regiment. Refer- 
ence to the tabular resume of the Forestry organization shows the 
existence of three distinct groups: the Service Companies, who 
were, at the last, actually parts of the Twentieth: Engineer 
Service Battalions, and Quartermaster troops attached for duty to 
the Forestry organization. 

Of the three classes, the Service Companies were incomparably 
the most important in their value to the Regiment, both by superior 
training, longer service, greater administrative efficiency, but 
chiefly because they actually became a part of the Regiment whose 
devotion to duty, when duty meant only hard, continuous, un- 
requited toil, was unsurpassed and probably never equalled in 
the whole grim business of winning the war. 

Practically none of our Service Companies were organized 
with a view to Forestry attainments. The 28 companies were 
formed as seven distinct Engineer regiments, only the first of 
which were in France any length of time before being assigned to 
duty with the Tenth and Twentieth. 

The first four Service Companies went over as the 503rd 
Engineers. They arrived in France shortly after the First and 
Second Battalions, having sailed November 2bth, 1917, aboard 
the transport "Aeolus" and landed at St. Nazaire December 10th. 
The outfit was thoroughly scattered: one company was assigned 
to the Pontenx District, where they took over the operation of 
trains on several French branch roads, handling the products of 
the 1st Battalion of the Tenth (the 11th Bn., Twentieth), and 
thr Fourth and Sixth, at Mimizan and Castets. Other detach- 
ments of the 503rd served with the Fifth Battalion at and near 
Gien, and with Co. E. Tenth Engineers, at Ciez-Colloutre, in the 
same district. 

With the exception of the first four companies, all the service 
units were composed of colored troops, with white officers and 
sergeants. Most of them had had a thorough military training, 
and were sent overseas with the expectation of front-line duties. 



History of the Twentieth En gineers 

Considering the abruptness of their transition to Forestry duties, 
their record is truly remarkable. 

The Fifteenth Service Co. were assigned a newly-completed 
mill of 10,000 capacity, built for the 45th Co. at Bias, in the 
Mimizan District. On a few days notice the colored men manned 
and operated the mill, the only outside assistance being a filer and 
an engineer. The Sixteenth Co. performed a similar stunt at 
Arengosse. In general, however, the Service Ccs. were employed 
in loading lumber, and in cutting and shipping fuel. Nearly 
every District employed one or more units. 

The Fifth Battalion was assisted by the 6th, 12th and 24th 
Cos. in the camps near Gien. Several units took part in the 
Eclaron district, and others around Bourges. The 517th, con- 
sisting of Cos. 9, 10. and 11, were a part of the lumbering expedition 
that accompanied the hirst Army into the Argonne woods. The 
°th Co. made fuel production records at Provencheres, in the 
upper Marne valley. 

The colored service troops were chiefly drawn from Alabama, 
I exas, and Mississippi, and were a picked force, their comrade 1 - of 
lower physique gravitating to labor units. The morale displayed 
by them was uniformly high, under circumstances which could 
riot have been foreseen by those responsible for their preliminary 
training. 

The Engineer Service Battalions attached to the Twentieth 
Engineers were two of a series of units designed to act as labor 
elements for the Regiment of higher training in special lines, such 
as the Railway, Highway and Forestry regiments. The 547th 
and 548th arrived in Cherbourg just as the Armistice was con- 
summated, and were utilized in the great drive to keep the A. E. F. 
warm during the ensuing winter. Most of their service was in the 
northern districts and the upper Loire basin. 

The Quartermaster troops credited to Forestry consisted of 
nearly 11,000 men, employed solely on fuelwood production, and 
almost entirely limited to the Advance Zone, within shipping 
eiistance of the troop concentrations in occupied Germany anel 
the original American areas in northeastern France and the Base 
ports. 





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OFFICIAL 

MAUD* 




History of the Twentieth Engineers 

Both the latter groups were associated with the Twentieth 
Engineers only by stress of circumstance, and for limited periods. 
It is noteworthy that the only strictly combat units — a few com- 
panies of Coast Artillery — who took part in the fuel campaign, 
were returned to the states with a few months of overseas service, 
while the great bulk of post-armistice forest work, as well as a 
huge job of road-repairing, was left to the original Forest Engineers 
and their Service Companies. As a tribute to the confidence with 
which the Powers that Were held the Twentieth Engineers, the 
bare fact is far more significant than the reams of praise embodied 
in the orders keeping us there. 

REINFORCEMENTS 

1 he necessity for very large additions to the forest troops 
in France became evident early in 1918 when the future require- 
ments of lumber for the American Expeditionary Forces promised 
to be greater than the original plans for the Twentieth Engineers 
had contemplated. In June of that year a memorandum was 
submitted to the War Department calling for 18,000 additional 
troops for lumber supply and this was increased from time to 
time until the final program was for the training and shipment 
overseas of 24,000 men to reinforce the Twentieth Engineers. 

To carry out these plans it was felt that men who had been in 
this work in France would be better able to anticipate needs and 
work out a practical organization than would all new men who 
would of necessity be more or less uniformed as to overseas con- 
ditions. Major Coert Dubois, Major Colin E. Clark and Capt. 
Paul D. Mackie were ordered to the United States late in August, 
together with Battalion Sergeants Major Campbell. Douglas, 
and Hennessy, Battalion Supply Sergeants Anderson, Samuels, 
and Wolff, Company Supply Sergeant Peverly and Sergeant 
Tragesser. The group sailed from Brest on the Leviathan Septem- 
ber 12th and landed at Hoboken on the 19th, being given seven 
day's leave with orders to report at Camp Humphreys. \ a., at 
the end of that time. 

After arrival at Humphries, the Sergeants were found so 
valuable that it was only with great difficulty that Major Clark 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



and Captain Mackie, stationed at Camp Forerst, Georgia, could 
get them transferred to the latter station. Major Dubois was 
stationed in the office of the Chief of Engineers. Orders actually 
authorizing the work of organization did not arrive until the 
25th of October and the first men were received and assigned to 
the 1st and 2nd Forestry Replacement Companies, October 28th. 
Six days after these men arrived at Camp Forrest they were 
formed into companies, equipped, and started overseas. The 
overflow was made into the 3rd Company. 

Immediately after the formation of these companies, the 
Sixteenth, Seventeenth, and Eighteenth Battalion organizations 
were formed. Under the Sixteenth Battalion Headquarters were 
the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Forestry Replacement Companies, 
and the Seventeenth Battalion included the 50th, 5 1st, and 52nd 
Companies, Twentieth Engineers. 

Had the war continued, at least two of the battalions would 
have been on the water very shortly, and the expectations were 
that the entire 24,000 would be in 1 -Vance in the spring of 1919. 
Early in December orders were received at Camp Forrest to pro- 
ceed with the demobilization of all troops as rapidly as possible 
and the new organizations were destroyed as rapidly as they had 
been formed. Practically all of the men were discharged by. 
\e\\ Year's Day and all of them soon after, and Camp Forrest 
ceased to exist as a separate Engineer Camp by the end of the 
month. 




The Official Band 



The scheme of organization of the Forest Regiments included 
no provisions for an authorized Band, and perhaps no detail of 
the makeup of the Twentieth Engineers was more keenly felt by 
its absence. With characteristic initiative, nearly every Battalion 
formed a volunteer Band, and some scattered single companies 
also boasted self-made martial music; but of all these, it fell to 
the lot of the youngest Band of all, that of the 43rd Engineers, 
later the 46th Co. Band, to inherit in part the glories that should 
have accrued to the march leaders of the greatest Regiment in 
history. Without ratings, chevrons, or release from normal 
fatigue duties, except on special occasions, nevertheless the 46th 
volunteer Band came to be known, wherever camps of the 
Twentieth were found, as the "Official Band. 

Organized by recruits of the 42nd and 43rd Engineers, upon 
the initiative of Major H. L. Bowlby. the Band formed April 
17th. 1918, at Camp American University. At Brest. June 7th, 
the personnel was transferred to Co. A. the 46th, and accompanied 
the unit to their station at Chatenois. in the V'osges. Until the 
Armistice, labor was too scarce for the services of thirty husky 
men to be spared, and it was only on completion of the allotted 
ten hours fatigue that the instruments came into action. Special 
occasions were excepted, and most of the nearby camps of the 
Twentieth were visited. For a time the Band was detailed for 
duty at Eclaron, and later at Granges, and the Armistice found 
them toiling at Vagney. News of the great event called for a 
celebration: ten minutes after the word arrived, the Band was 
an impromptu inter-allied parade through the village. 

From this time on. the Band received recognition in tangible 
ways. November 1 5th they were sent into Alsace, and for the 
first time the strains of the Star Spangled Banner sounded in 
conquered ground. Thanksgiving week-end the outfit were sent 
to participate in the celebrations attending the restoration of the 
Alsatian city of Ribeauville to French rule. An uproarious pro- 
cession, a concert and a dance, all pivoted upon the talent and 
endurance of the 46th Band. 

In December the "Special Detail" made a flying trip to 
Strassburg, enjoying the distinction of being the first American 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



troops to enter the capital of the rewon province. January was 
spent in a tour of all the Forestry camps in the Vosges — a tour 
cut short by abrupt orders to accompany Second Battalion Head- 
quarters to the coast. Wild visions of a quick trip home faded 
after three weeks at St. Nazaire, when the outfit was ordered to 
the Spanish Border to play at the Luchon leave area. The stay 
at St. Nazaire was marked by an inspection by General Pershing, 
before whom the Band performed mightily, with"RosieO'Grady" 
on the lyres. 

While at Luchon the outfit achieved the unusual distinction 
of crossing the Spanish border in uniform, and playing a concert 
at the College of San Jose. Leave area duty came to an end early 
in March, and the Band returned to St. Nazaire, whence it was 
ordered back to the Vosges. After six weeks of concerts distri- 
buted over the entire American section, from Vaux to the Woe\ re, 
and on to the Swiss border, the outfit rejoined the 40th Co. at 
Eclaron, May 8th, 1919. The long trip home began May 25th, 
reached its climax, the gangplank of U. S, S. "Rhode Island," 
June 22ncl, and closed at Camp Stewart, Va., July 6th. 

During its fifteen months of existence, the band had per- 
formed beside regular Engineer duties, these engagements: 311 
Band Concerts, 5 3 vaudeville shows, 3 minstrel shows, 57 dances; 
Reveille 72 times, Retreat 10, guard mount 4, and two Battalion 
parades 




The New England Sawmill Units 
in Scotland 

Shortly after the United States entered the war, the Massachu- 
setts Committee on Public Safety was advised of Great Britain's 
need for more trained lumbermen. Plans were soon evolved 
for furnishing 10 civilian units, with full equipment, and the 
necessary funds were subscribed by the New England States, the 
above named committee, and the lumber interests of the North- 
east. Each of the six states provided one unit, the other 4 being 
made possible by private concerns and others interested in this 
unique gift from New England to Old England. 

The Units left Boston June 15. 1917, for New York, where the 
British transport "Justicia" was boarded. A stop was made at 
Halifax, and 5,000 Canadians, some of them forest troops, were 
taken on. July 3 at about 8:00 A. M . the troopship met a German 
submarine and disaster was avoided only by the quick action of 
the man at the wheel. Landing was made July 4 at Liverpool 
from where a special train took the organization to Scotland. 

Headquarters was established at Ardgay. Rosshire, about 
50 miles north of Iverness. Equipment arrived after a week of 
waiting, and the first board was sawed July 18. Seven of the 
mills worked in timber on the estate of Sir Charles Ross, inventor 
of the Ross rifle, and three mills operated on Andrew Carnegie's 
Skibo property. Scotch pine, larch, and Norway spruce, in old 
plantations, made up the bulk of the cutting, some of which was 
on steep hillsides, requiring the use of wood-shod sleds for the 
removal of the logs. 

Mr. D. P. Brown of the Berlin Mills Company was in charge 
of the New England Units until they had become established in 
Scotland, being succeeded as General Manager by Mr. E. C. Hirst, 
State Eorester of New Hampshire. All the men had separate 
contracts with the British Government. When the contracts 
expired, on June 15, 1918, many of the men enlisted in the Army 
and Navy; only about 150 of the total strength of 348 returned 
to the United States. Eighty-seven of the men enlisted in Scot- 
land and in London for the 20th Engineers, forming part of the 
3 1 st Company. Eor some time it seemed probable that a company 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



of the 6th Battalion, 20th Engineers, would be loaned to the 
British for the continuation of the operations of the New England 
Units. 

The first production of the organization was consigned to 
France, but later the entire output was taken by the war industries 
of Britain. About 60,000 ties were shipped, as well as a large 
amount of 3 and 4-inch dimension material and much pitwood 
(mine props). The total production during the 9§ months of 
operation was 19,673,100 F. B. M. of lumber, ties, and pitwood. 
The Units are credited by the British Government with doing 
twice the work at half the cost of any organization producing 
lumber for war service. 




The Canadian Forestry Corps 

On the 15th of February, 191b, after about 18 months of war. 
came the first appeal to Canada from the mother country for 
troops to undertake lumbering operations overseas. Canada's 
response was the immediate acceptance of the request and the 
rapid formation of her first forestry unit, consisting of 1609 
officers and men and known as the 224th Canadian Forestry 
Battalion. April 28th, 400 men of the Battalion, under L.t.- 
Col. McDougall, arrived in England, following a small advance 
party of 2 subalterns and 15 men. 

Hardly had the 224th arrived when Lord Kitchener asked for 
1,000 of them for operations in France, but Lord Selborne, head 
of the Home Grown Timber Committee was unwilling to comply 
or to accept German prisoners as a substitute. More men were 
asked for by cables to Ottawa, some of the reinforcements being 
for service in France. A request was sent to Canada in May 
asking for 2.000 more men; on November b for 2,000 more; and 
at the end of that month for further forestry troops to the number 
of 5,000.' At the close of 1916, 11 companies were operating in 
Great Britain and 3 in France, a total of 3,038 men. 

In l°lb, the menace of raiding Zeppelins had become a most 
serious problem, and in September the Home Defense Wing of the 
Royal Flying Corps asked the aid of the Canadian Forestry Corps 
in preparing landing fields for airplanes of defense. In the sum- 
mer of 1917 the Corps was again called to help in aerodome con- 
struction, with the result that at times no less than 32 detach- 
ments were on the work. A number of companies went from 
Llngland at the end of 1917 to engage in the building of landing 
fields in France. 

Late in 1917, two officers were sent to report upon the timber 
possibilities of the Island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea. 
They were tw ice torpedoed on the way out but arrived and made 
a report. Arrangements were also under way for the Corps to 
operate in Ireland, when hostilities ceased. 

During the critical days of the spring of 1918, the Corps was 
demanded to furnish 500 men for the Infantry and more men 
volunteered than were asked for. Altogether the Corps sent 
1,270 men to the Infantrv, and at the time of the German drive 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

in 1918 the whole Corps volunteered to serve in the front lines. 
Many troops in the Canadian combatant forces were from time 
to time selected for lumber work, men over age or with physical 
disibility being chosen to join the Forestry Corps. 

OPERATIONS IN GREAT BRITAIN 

The first lumber was produced May 13, 1916, less than 4 
months after the British Government asked for lumbermen. This 
initial cut was made al Windsor Great Park, one of the famous 
forests of the world. The troops stationed there were frequently 
visited by the King and Queen. A farm of 55 acres was worked 
in 1917 : and toward the end of the operal ion, w hieh covered 4,700 
acres of the 7.000 composing the forest, the Corps erected for 
I I. M, the King a memorial to the Corps in the form of a log 
cabin at the side ol \\ indsor Castle. The William the Conqueror 
Oak, standing beneath the King's window, was cut by the Cana- 
dians. This tree was over 7 >S feet in circumference, and in the 
absence ol a sav» ol sufficient length a hole was cut 1 into the 
hollow trunk, enabling one man to pull the saw from the inside. 

The Base Depot was at Windosr Great Park where there 
was also stationed a company for making the portable Armstrong 
huts used by the Corps. All troops, upon arrival from Canada, 
were mobilized at this Base where the companies were organized. 
Each company consisted of 6 officers, 14 Sergeants and 171 of 
other grades, a total of 191, including 12 attached. 

Entertainment for the scattered units was furnished by the 
local people, u \ the Y. M. C. A. in us huts, and by the Church 
Army. In one company in Scotland 27 men found brides during 
,i \ ear. 

More than 70 operations were tackled in Great Britain, the 
country being divided lor administration into 6 districts, each 
in charge of a Colonel. The operations were usually run by one 
company, with a Major in command. The labor attached was 
composed of Finns, Portugese, and prisoners of war. Pole tracks, 
carrying cars with grooved wheels, narrow gauge horse railways, 
donkey engines, aerial ropeways, log chutes, motor lorries, gravity 
railways, and small locomotives were used to get out logs under 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

the widely varying conditions. All equipment was handled 
through the Technical Warehouse in London where also was 
established a large workshop for manufacturing complete the 
standard Canadian mills. 

The grand total production in Great Britain to the end of 
1918 was as follows: 

Sawn material Round Material Slabs and Fuel 

F. B. M. Tons Tons 

257,598,648 84,347 202,018 

OPERATIONS IN FRANCE 

Canadian lumbering operations were started in France in 
September, 1916, in the center of Normandy, and by November, 
1917, there were 58 companies producing lumber for the British 
and French Armies. The final distribution found the Corps' 
efforts centered in 4 regions: (1) the Armies Area, behind the 
British lines, (2) the Jura Group, (3) the Central Group, south 
and west of Paris, and (4) the Bordeaux Group. A clerical office 
was established at Paris and a technical warehouse at Le Havre. 
In May, 1917, there was instituted a controlling committee, known 
as the Comite Interallie de Bois de Guerre, composed of British 
and French and, later, American representatives. 

A large amount of work was done by the Corps in the rear of 
the British lines. No. 37 company had to abandon its mill be- 
cause of enemy fire, the important parts of the mill being buried 
when the Germans were only 2,000 yards away. Some of the 
mills were engaged in working timber left in the wake of the 
C !erman retreats, and outfits in the Marne region, near Eclaron, 
were at times under air raid and shell fire. One detachment of 
3 companies, the Noyon Detachment, was sent to work up 
salvaged timber cut down by the Germans before their retreat 
in 1917. Heavy artillery fire was experienced and certain officers, 
X. C. O.'s, and men were decorated with the Croix cle Guerre. 

The grand total cut in France was: 
Sawmill Material Round Material Slabs and Fuel 
F. B. M. Tons Tons 

555,942,912 224,282 603,584 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

At the close of the war there were 60 companies of the 
Canadian Forestry Corps in France and 41 in Great Britain, a 
total of some 17,000 men. Attached personnel such as the 
Canadian Army Service Corps, Medical Corps, and prisoners of 
war, brought the total to nearly 33,000. 

Colonel Woodruff, commander of the 20th Engineers, U. S. 
A., wrote the following letter of appreciation to the Corps: 

"We wish to express our appreciation to the Canadian For- 
ertrv Corps for the excellent co-operation and assistance they 
have given the Americans in the Vosges, at Besacon, in the Landes, 
'and in fact all over France. 

"They have secured for us five complete sawmills. 

""In addition to the above, the Canadian Forestry Corps ha\ e 
repeatedly loaned equipment to the American Forestry Troops, 
and have extended invitations to them to join in all their sports 
and entertainments, and have co-operated in the matter of 
policing near-by towns, and in every manner assisted to the 
fullest extent. 

"The American Forestry Troops are also indebted to the 
Canadian Forestry Corps for the use of their machine shops to 
make repairs to broken parts of American mills, and for promptly 
furnishing lumber for building barracks on the arrival of the 
Americans at a time when it was most important that shelter be 
provided for the troops. 

.1 am pleased to thank General McDougall 
on behalf of the American Expeditionary Forces." 




The Burned Area 



A natural consequence of the Armistice was the feeling that 
sailing orders were sure to come soon to the camps of the Twentieth 
Engineers, and many were the preparations — innocently hopeful 
preparations — for an early departure. Barrack bags were oxer- 
hauled; surplus clothing turned in at the supply window; ring 
making took on a final spurt ; and many a man wrote home to 
stop sending letters to him in France. Everybody was wondering 
what the delouser was like; what stuff would be barred from their 
baggage on the ship: and whether the guys that won the war — 
the M. P.'S — still infested the home towns. Projects in the woods 
were hurried to completion, the activity excelling anything on 
record except the feverish haste before the big offensives. It was 
noised about that the outfits would go home in the order they 
had come over, which meant at intervals of about weeks. And in 
some cases the men were led to believe that a certain date, a few 
weeks ahead, was to be The Day for them. The old Tenth 
Engineers were going, it was said, about the first of 1919 and of 
course the rest would follow very soon. Of course! In response 
to a telegram from Bordeaux three weeks after the Armistice, 
one company reported that it would be ready December 18th. 
It was; but it sailed for home half a year after the Armistice. 

The worst was yet to come. The extensive road repair program 
was launched, with the Regiment included in the plans, and the 
Burned Area v as added to the list of final jobs which were noted 
in a wet blanket letter distributed gratis among the camps by the 
Section Forestry Officer. The letter came to be known as "The 
Knees of the Gods," and we came in time to realize that the ex- 
huberant and over-confident Twentieth Engineers of the days 
just following the Armistice were upon the knees of the military 
gods and were being mauled with a field shoe. The shoe had 
hobs in it, and each individual nail could be labelled appropriately 
with such words as "post-armistice construction," "disappoint- 
ment," "road rock," "departure of the old Tenth," and "Burned 
Area." Verily, we were a bitter crowd in those days, but the blame 
is found in the phrase, C'est la Guerre. 

In December. 1918, the erstwhile stationary detachments of 
the Regiment began to move to other operations. Men had to 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

go to the old Tenth camps, and as the outfits moved into the Big 
Burn their places often had to be taken by the transfer of other 
troops. And so the companies milled around, never knowing 
what the morn would bring forth. The Burned Area operation 
took definite form and company after company wallowed around 
there in the rain and mud, with guards to keep the men in the 
Area. About a million troops up north were drilling and playing 
ball, and it seemed as though the high authorities of the S. O. S., 
the men who had the power to start this large new operation after 
the war was over, could have mustered enough labor from the 
hundreds of thousands marking time to have cleaned up the Burn 
in 60 days. But no; the natives had set the fire; hundreds of 
available forest troops had not been used in fighting it; and it 
was therefore logical to compel the hard-working Twentieth, a 
two-chevron organization, to work there six months, was it not? 
It was not. Not at all logical, and not at all an act of kindness 
to a regiment that had never failed to do more than was expected 
of it, but the following historical sketch by Major Swift Berry 
shows the operation to have been considered as a military necessity 
and essential to the strategy of finance and liaison that marked 
the Regiment's withdrawal from France. 

(MAJOR BERRY'S STORY) 

During August, 1918, the Forest Section was actively pressing 
the French for more timber because additional forestry troops 
were being raised in the United States. The officer in charge 
of the location, acquisation, and measurement of all stumpage 
for the Twentieth Engineers in the Dax, Captieux, Pontenx, and 
Mimizan Districts was called to Headquarters and directed to 
secure enough additional timber for 1 2 and possibly 1 5 more 
companies in the Landes region. 

The area in the communes of Pontenx and Lue and Parentis 
was burned about September 4 and 5, 1918. Some 30,000 or 40,000 
of the trees burned at that time had previously been purchased 
and paid for by the A. E. F. for the operation at Bourricos, and 
possibly twice that many on the other side of the fire area had 
been similarly purchased for the Canadians. On the day after 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



the fire the French military authorities wired to enquire what 
portion of the burn the A. E. F. would purchase and they re- 
quested that further purchase of green timber be held up until 
the burn was examined. The fire-killed trees were offered at a 
price of about 70% of that for green timber. Accordingly the 
area was examined; a line agreed upon between the Canadians 
and the A. E. F. giving about 50% to each; and the French 
authorities were informed that the A. E. F. would take all of its 
portion of the tract having timber large enough to make ties. 
The tracts answering this requirement were examined on the 
ground with representatives of the French Engineers and they 
were designated on maps. Pressure was brought by the French 
military authorities to have us purchase the extensive areas of 
smaller trees for mine props, but we objected and they did not 
insist. The purchase of the burned area was at the time a good 
piece of business for the A. E. F. for these reasons: The burned 
timber was as good for early cutting as the green; we needed a 
large amount of timber immediately; the price was reasonable; 
and our good faith in taking the fire-killed timber made the 
French authorities very willing to continue requisitioning live 
timber for us. 

Consequently, by September 10th or 15th, the French officials 
had notified the owners of all the tracts selected by us that they 
could not sell on the open market and that these tracts were requi- 
sitioned for the A. E. F. Under the French military law the deal 
was to all intents closed at that time (two months before the 
Armistice) and according to agreements between the two Armies 
the A. E. F. was responsible for the timber from the time it agreed 
to take the tracts, which was done by letter in the usual manner. 
There remained only the measurement of the trees and the signing 
of the formal contracts between the owners and the French 
officials. The measurements all took place before November 1st 
and some of the contracts were signed before the Armistice and 
some after. But the A. E. F. was really in possession of the tracts 
two months before the Armistice. 

On November 1 1th, the A. E. F. had on its hands in the Landes 
enough timber to supply the companies operating there, and 17 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



additional companies, until June, 1919. It was also obligated 
under contract to clean up the tops and limbs in the Mimizan 
district, and to do various other cleaning up jobs. Naturally the 
object was to close up with as little money loss and work as possible 
and negotiations were opened with French headquarters to this 
end. The French decision was that they badly needed timber 
for reconstruction; that they had not enough labor to cut it with; 
that, unless cut the coming winter, the burned timber would 
spoil; and that they would not release the A. E. F. from responsi- 
bility for the burned timber. They asked that as long as the U. S. 
forestry troops were kept in France they be used in working up 
the Pontenx and Captieux burns. They agreed to pay market 
prices for the lumber produced and to relieve the A. E. F. of loss 
on the green timber purchased for it and no longer required and 
of cleaning up in the Mimizan dunes and elsewhere. 

Therefore, in order to reduce work and money obligations 
elsewhere; to save the economic loss of the burned timber; and to 
aid the French to some extent in reconstruction ; the Headquarters 
of the S. O. S. agreed with the French to rush mill construction in 
the burned areas, and to do what work was possible in manufac- 
turing the timber, until it came time for each battalion to sail. 

In judging the results of this decision conditions should be 
considered as they were then. The equipment used was in France 
and would have been sold to the French anyway at the same 
price. The cost of the construction incident to the burned area 
operations was only a fraction of what the loss would have been 
if we had been forced to sell the fire-killed timber on the open 
market, and also the green timber, all of which green timber was 
taken back by the French Government with no loss to the A. E. 
F. The French were furnished some material for reconstruction, 
though not as much as had been hoped. And none of the bat- 
talions that worked in the burn was delayed in sailing because 
of that fact. If they had not been there they would have been, 
of necessity, put at other work and would have taken their turn 
at embarkation just the same. This is proven by the fact that the 
first outfit released from the burn had to do a month's work near 
Brest, although its standing for embarkation was high. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

The feeling of headquarters was that by having the men work 
in the burned areas they could be more comfortably housed: 
they would be doing the work that they came to France for and 
that they liked; they would not be scattered all over France on 
road repair work and other assignments under commanders who 
had no particular interest in them; and they would be kept 
together, with the best chance for early embarkation priority. 
Genuine hard luck was met with in regard to weather conditions. 
During the winter of 1917-1918 the weather had been such that 
work could have been done with comfort in the Pontenx-Lue 
burned area, whereas the winter of 1918-1919 was one of exception- 
al rain. 

On the whole, the burned area operation cannot reasonably be 
considered a failure or an imposition. Had the men known the 
whole facts at the time their feeling would have been different, 
and had the weather been normal working in the burn until 
home-going orders came would have been better. The head- 
quarters of the S. O. S. gave the word to start, and inasmuch as 
those involved were men of high rank and wide experience, with 
better jobs awaiting most of them in the States, the work was 
not undertaken to continue anyone in jobs in France. There was 
no .idea of reward from the French involved, but of course there 
was a very natural tendency to play square with the French, 
whose cooperation in requisitioning timber for the Americans made 
it possible for the Twentieth Engineers to hand up an enviable 
record in supplying the A. E. F. with lumber. Efforts were made 
to get the original owners to take back the burned timber after 
the Armistice, but most of them refused to take back the dead 
timber at any price as they were in no position to cut it before it 
would spoil in June. Two very considerable areas were, however, 
taken back by the owners. 

Standard gauge railroad two miles in length connected the 
Burn with the French mail line. In the burned tract the railroad 
branched three ways, with double loading tracks 1,300 feet long, 
twin mills and a camp at the end of each branch. As operations 
came to a close in other parts of France, material that no one 
needed was sent to the Pontenx Burn and at one time 75 cars of 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

engineer material were waiting to he unloaded. The operation 
considered as a unit has been called the largest lumber plant ever 
constructed in Europe. 

As time went on the activities and administration of the 
Regiment centered more and more around the Pontenx District. 
In April seventeen companies, two battalion headquarters, medical 
detachments and a bakery detachment were included in the 
district, most of these troops being in the Burn. Nearly every 
battalion at some time was represented in the Burned Area. 
Regimental Headquarters passed through Pontenx late in June 
and about a dozen men were still clinging to duty there in August 



/Vx 




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History of the Twentieth Engineers 




THE "COOTIE" KILLER 



Those of us who left France from Bordeaux will doubtless 
recognize the "Mill" at Genicart. Remember how we marched 
into the receiving room and watched the men on duty there con- 
fiscate our treasured souvineers with the remark. "You can't 
take those through." And all along the line our belongings grew 
less. Some of us even left our treasured locks and were further 
required to shave before we were turned out, renovated. Verily, 
it was a case of "And from him that hath not. even that which he 
hath shall be taken away." And remember, too, how, after 
going through the delouser we found, in the "clean ' barracks 
beyond, our pets eagerly waiting for us, waiting but hardly recog- 
nizing us in the shrunk and wrinkled O. D. with which we 
emerged from the "Mill sans souvineers. sans cooties, and in 
most cases, sans everything. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



Pontanezen Barracks, 

Base Section No. 5 , 
Jan. 10, 1918 
PRISON REGULATIONS 
The following prison regulations will be strictly enforced by 
the Sergeant of the Guard. 

1 . Before a prisoner is confined he will he searched and all 
articles including hat ornaments found in his possession, regardless 
of what they may be, will be turned in to the Camp Adjutant. 

2. Immediately after he has been searched his hair will be 
clipped as short as possible. 

3. No prisoner will be allowed to use tobacco or liquor in 
any form whatever. The prison sentinel will be held strictly 
responsible for the enforcement of this regulation. 

4. No lamp or light of any description whatever will be 
allowed in the guardhouse. 

5. They will be marched to the athletic field and made to 
double time around the racecourse four times at 6 A. M. This 
same procedure will be carried out at 1 P. M. daily. 

6. Prisoners will be made to work daily from immediately 
after breakfast until dinner and from immediately after dinner 
until supper. This includes Sundays and Holidays. Except that 
each prisoner will be loaded with 60 lbs. of weight and com- 
pelled to march at attention without stop for one hour from 8 A. 
M. until 9 A. M. and from 1:15 to 2:15 P. M. 

7. Prisoners will be made to shave daily. They will be made 
to have their heads cropped every week. 

8. A piece of white cloth ten inches square, bearing a capital 
letter "P" in black six inches high will be sewed on the back of each 
prisoners coat upon confinement. 

9. The Sergeant of the Guard will be held directly responsible 
for the strict enforcement of these regulations. He will immediate- 
ly notify the Officer of the Day if the least difficulty is encountered 
in carrying out these regulations. 

By order of Major Hadley. 

Frances D. Yeager, 
1st Lieut., 161st Inf., A. li P., 
Adjutant. 



Don't Forget "Regimental!" 

By One of Them 

A publication covering the work of the Twentieth Engineers 
would be sadly incomplete without some mention of Regimental 
Headquarters, the brains of the Regiment — or should I say the 
goat of the outfit? The goat, I guess. Anyway, we were that, 
right from. American University to France and back. 

Of course we always got the cream of everything! Yes we, 
messed with every outfit in the University Camp at one time or 
another. Never went to work in the morning till seven o'clock, 
and always quit by two or three A. M. for a few minutes sleep 
before the next seven o'clock logged around. Didn't stand 
Reveille. Fire calls 1 Oh, we went to them but never did any- 
thing at them except stand At Ease. In fact, we stood At Ease 
so completely one morning over by the College of History building 
that Capt. Hinkley forgot we were there, and I guess he went to 
bed but must have remembered us, for he came back anyway ancl 
marched us back to the barracks. 

Well, we finally went across the ocean with the Eighth Bat- 
talion on the Mount Vernon, and it was simply a pleasure cruise. 
We had nothing to do but line up for mess, and that only twice 
a day; do a little boat drill; stand inspections: do latrine guard 
and "crow's nest'" once in a while; take calisthenics; administer 
all the the troops on the ship, and run the ship's library. Never 
will I forget Orlando L. Rowland, heroically standing in the canteen 
line from morning until it closed, being relieved only for mess. 
More power to his kind — they make it easy for others! 

France finally arrived up ahead of us and we were jostled 
and bumped onto a lighter on which we were taken for a few hours 
sight-seeing excursion on the placid waters of Brest harbor. Then 
followed an enjoyable stroll up to the Pontanezen Barracks and a 
three-day journey there absorbing the atmosphere of the place. 
It was so simple, the life there! W'hen we got cold we went out 
in the refreshing rain and marched double time until we got our 
feet soaked, when we would sprint back into the nice, friendly 
barracks and lie down on the cement floor and eulogize the climate 
of France. 

Later, two days and nights in box cars, ten days in the rest 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



camp at Genicart, and then Tours. What shall I say of the life in 
Tours? *Tres gai, nous en informerons l'univers!" To begin 
with, we made enemies of a squad of Army mules by ousting them 
from some stables where we wanted to live. At first we messed in 
another stable that was infested with English sparrows, which 
also were attached there for rations. 

We worked every day, of course, but (you know) just what was 
necessary. The officers all worked (?) too, so we didn't mind. 
Evenings we would gaily cavort up town, playing various little 
soldierly pranks. Of course we never did have a wine ship wrecked 
at our barracks door, but nearly every night one could see wine- 
bibbers floating in, and altogether it wasn't a bad "guerre"! 
Then, after the Armistice, we had to wait only six or seven months 
to go home. And what is six or seven months in the lives of 
"soldats" 1 

Seriously, fellows, wasn't it pretty hard down there at Camp 
Mills and the other camps when the last good-byes were being 
said and we realized we were breaking up for always. Voices were 
husky and handclasps were firm, for we sure did hate to see the 
boys go. It was hard to see old Regimental break up and those 
forty or more fine fellows, comrades of two years in the Army, 
scatter to their fifteen or twenty home states, from Maine to 
Florida and from Alaska to Southern California and all the way 
between, not forgetting Alpena, Michigan! Some of us will meet 
casually now and then and when we do — Oh, Boy! 



Paul Bunyan Did His Bit 

As those who are familiar with the life of Paul Bunyan are 
aware, the giant lumberman-pioneer was always a poor man. 
Despite his herculean labors in the development of the great 
Northwest, Paul never cared to amass the fortune that could 
easily have been his. He was ever a recluse, and cared naught 
for wealth or the luxuries that hoarded thousands bring. Hidden 
away for centuries following the retreat of the glacial ice from what 
is now the northern American rocky mountain region, he pre- 
ferred to do his great development work solely for the satisfaction 
accomplishment brought, and it is because of this that he wrought 
without reward during the commercial era of which we are a part. 
Frequent references to him are to be found in Indian legend, and 
it is interesting to note here that the Red Man referred to the 
gigantic hermit as Pahl Boonyum, or "The Solitary Giant." 
Great was Paul's hold upon the affections of the savage tribes, 
and yet they feared him, being unable to comprehend one who 
toiled for others without thought of compensation. 

When the country went to war, the brobdignagian lumberman 
was rarein' to go in his desire to lay his naked hands upon the 
enemy. The lack of funds made his long journey to the nearest 
recruiting station and the subsequent purchase of special clothing 
apparently impossible, but Pauls burning patriotism led him at 
last reluctantly to decide to sacrifice his beloved blue ox. In thus 
parting with his only asset and life-long companion, Paul Bunyan 
did the crowning deed in a long career marked by self-sacrifice. 
The historic beast of burden was put up at auction and sold for 
the handsome sum of $973,000. to the highest bidder, the Quarter- 
master of the Army. 

Little recked the soldiers of the American Expeditionary 
Forces that the iridescent blue corned willy that fed many a luck- 
less division in France was the ancient beast that from time im- 
memorial had used as a drinking trough that huge basis fashioned 
by its Master's own hand, Lake Superior. The extreme age of the 
animal would seem to have made it unfit for human food, but a 
secret sulfuric acid treatment was evolved in Washington and 
sufficed to soften the tissues. But the blue color was ineradicable. 
The ox was blue all through and is the one recorded exception in 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



history to the proverb that beauty is only skin deep. If any 
former soldiers who read this brief bovine obituary recall, on 
gusty nights when the moon looked like an old overseas cap 
smeared with phosphorus, strange mournful sounds in the dark- 
ness about camp, they should know that it was the Ghost of the 
Blue Ox, weeping over the empty willy cans. The thought that 
its far flung remains received the oaths of countless thousands 
only added to the grief of the spectral animal that had made the 
supreme sacrifice by post-mortem enlistment in the Q. M. C. 

Equipped with $973,000. in silver, the veteran pioneer secured 
a uniform and journeyed to the recruiting station, to enlist in the 
outfit nearest his heart, the Twentieth Engineers. There was, 
however, nothing stirring. Not even a mouse. The examining 
officer gave one look at the would-be recruit and then everything 
went blank except his mind, which had always been that way. 
When the dimmers were turned off and the doctor began to 
recognize his surroundings, he told Paul that his advanced age 
and size made enlistment out of the question. But he would like, 
he said, to take a record of this unusual applicant, and the bitterly 
disappointed giant gave his consent. 

Paul Bunyan's size has always been a subject of dispute and 
has, as a rule, been greatly exaggerated. A few items from the 
official record, taken for the Army, should be included here to set 
aright many inconsistancies in popular reports. Age, about 
109,000 years. Height, 14 feet 3 inches. Weight, 2,84b pounds. 
It will be seen from this that Paul Bunyan. while unquestionably 
a large man and a man built along the general substantial lines of 
a grain elevator, is not the mountainous specimen of the genus 
Homo described in common gossip. His great exploits have been 
possible because of his strength and, in many cases, thousands 
of years of patient toil. 

It had been Paul's intention to help the country in the war 
by employing his power and skill with the Forest Troops, and 
his feelings on being turned down because of his size and because 
of an arbitrary age limit may be imagined. He looked older than 
he really was, the rugged outdoor life having made its mark upon 
him. But he had sold his all to go to war, and by the great horn 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

spoon he had made as a memento from one of the horns ol his ox, 
he was going to war. Purchasing a good two-ton truck, he drove 
to Hoboken and stowed away in the hold of the America. 

Up to the time the America dropped anchor in Brest. Paul 
had felt the fine elation of all of us when we were actually on our 
way Over There, but when the troops started to leave the ship 
the colossal woodsman began to be worried. He wasn't on the 
muster roll of any outfit, yet his uniform made him ostensibly 
one of the American E. F. No outfit could draw rations for him. 
and no outfit could afford to feed such an enormous man from its 
supplies of food. To be sure he could have been a civilian em- 
ployee, or a field clerk, but such was not to his liking. For once, 
Paul Bunyan was stumped. But he needed exercise after lying 
among the war bags for two weeks, and he slipped over the side 
and swam ashore. 

The night was yet in diapers when the door of a match-box-on- 
w heels, standing in the yards of the Montparnasse station, opened 
and out crawled Paul, hungry as a cockroach. Like all of us, he 
wanted to see Paris and for him there was no time like the present. 
He had barely finished his meal in a modest cafe when an M. P. 
touched him on the knee. "Where's your pass, big boy?" Paul 
of course had no pass, and said so. "What outfit?" Paul said he 
had no outfit except the clothes he wore. "You may be big but 
you can't kid me!" And the M P. brought his club clown across 
the shins of the biggest man that ever drank wine in the cafes of 
Paris. The blow hurt, but Paul being slow to anger, took the 
club away and broke it with his fingers, telling his tormentor to 
be good. But that was not being done in those days in Paris with 
men A. W. O. Loose, and very soon Paul was escorted to St. 
Anne's under guard of twenty men. His protests were useless, 
and the next morning he was put inside the barbed wire at Farm 
Number Two, charged with improper use of the uniform. 

At the Farm he was left alone. Nobody was detailed to beat 
him up. but he suffered with the pangs of hunger, the scanty 
rations there being merely enough to make him hungrier. Finally, 
after two days of this, he stole a case of corned willy to keep from 
starving. He ran his thumbnail around a can and took off the 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



top, having his horn spoon ready at hand. One look was enough. 
Camouflaged as it was with special processing, Paul at once recog- 
nized the indelible blue color and although he was starving to 
the point of hunger he could not bear to eat the flesh of his life- 
long companion of a thousand centuries. 

Paul Bunyan of the U. S. A., was in a desperate frame of 
mind. As he started toward the gate, somebody yelled, '"Look 
out for the engine: don't stop to look or listen!'' Too late! The 
solitary guard at the gate evaporated, but Paul trapped the rest 
in the guard-house and reached in, cleaning house by throwing 
each man over six lines of tents for a goal. Then he went away, 
a marked man as long as he stayed in France. Ripping the 
seating arrangements from a pair of Dodges standing by the 
roadside, he placed a foot in each, tied them on firmly, and skated 
away to the south. 

Wandering about through the countryside and keeping always 
on the alert, Paul Bunyan came in the course of time to an un- 
inhabited chateau in the midst of an extensive stretch of wood- 
land. He still had some $968,000. in silver left on him (they had 
not dared to frisk him at the Farm) and with part of this he 
purchased the estate outright. Here he lived quietly for some 
months, receiving the "Stars and Stripes" regularly and thus 
keeping in touch with the situation at the front. He began to 
crave action — to do something to put an end to the fearful struggle. 
I he enemy seemed to be pounding the western front to a pulp. 
Something must be done' But what" 1 low? 

Through the length and breadth oi France meanwhile the 
Military Police were hunting for our hero. I le was to be arrested 
on sight, ('old terror oozed along the spine of every M. P. in the 
A. E. F., for every man of them knew that the secret orders might 
compel him to tangle with the modern Gulliver. And Paul 
Bunyan, fugitive from justice, was the sole cause of every \1. P. 
w ishing for a transfer to a different branch of the service. 

One day Paul descended to the cellar of this dwelling and in 
the course of an hour returned, singing at the top of his great 
voice, "I'm Forever Drinking Bubbles." The champagne had 
given the crafty giant an idea and he at once summoned the 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



blacksmith of the estate and put him to work. In due time there 
was fashioned in that secluded spot such a suit of underwear as 
no laundry had ever mangled. No torture chamber for lingerie 
could have injured it. A full inch thick it was. of tightly matted 
baling wire, yet it was flexible and proof against bombardment. 
Paul named it Minnehaha, because it was the laughing water that 
had given him the idea. To the suit was added a hood of similar 
design, and one day Paul disappeared from his magnificent home, 
never to return. 

One day in the autumn of 1918 Major Sorazza Boyle of the 
Bulgarian Army was sitting in his tent when a squad brought in a 
prisoner of herculean proportions. The captive's clothing was in 
rags. Shrapnel and machine gun fire had nearly obliterated his 
uniform, but Major Boyle was able to recognize it as belonging to 
the Army of the United States. Through the shreds of outer 
clothing peeped underwear of unique design. The Major started 
to question this soldier. 

"Well, my man 

"Give me a drink, the prisoner exploded in a voice that 
turned the Major's face a delicate Nile green. "Come, hop to it, 
you Vulgarian ! 

The trembling officer himself brought a bucket of water, and 
respectfully requested that the prisoner accompany him to the 
C. in C. of the Bulgarian Army. 

The General questioned the American Goliath at length. 
Were there any more at home like hirrT Yes, the men of the 
country were coming to Europe now that the boys had all they 
could handle. How many men were coming! 1 Eleven million 
were ready and waiting for the boat. Were they all the same size 
as the prisoner 1 O, no; most of them were bigger. At home he 
went by the name of Shorty. Did they all have the same under- 
clothing^ Yes, only somewhat heavier for winter wear. 

It is hardly necessary to add that on October 1, 1918, the 
Bulgarians gave up the fight, closely followed by Turkey. Austria- 
Hungary, and Germany. Were these countries completely 
whipped 1 Did military disasters compel them to call it off 1 No! 
The secret of the collapse of the Central Empires lies in this single 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

fact: In the early autumn of 1918 a man in the uniform of the 
United States waded through Germany and voluntarily sur- 
rendered to the Bulgarians. The prisoner's height was fourteen 
feet, three inches. 

Public records show that Paul Bunyan was refused enlistment 
early in the fall of 1917. Nothing further is recorded until, on 
the passenger list of the George Washington, homeward bound, 
his name appears in company with those of very great distinction. 
Reporters for New York papers could get no information from the 
passengers or crew concerning certain rumors about the man. 
Their efforts to speak with him personally were foiled by his 
haste to get back home. He disappeared over the side off the 
Statue of Liberty. Rumor has it that he has retired to the wilds 
of the Bitterroots, on the headwaters of Powder River, where he 
has hoisted Old Glory to the top of the pole, with all the trimmings 



MOTHER GOOSE, FORESTRY 

"You arc old, Major William." the Adjutant said. 

"And your Sam Browne is stretching too tifjht. 
"Yet you hold down a job at three hundred a month; 

"Do you think, at your age, it is ri^ht 1 " 
"In m\ youth," quoth the Major. "1 hit the hall hard 

"As a ward boss I bowed to no peer. 
I 01 the votes I collected foi Senator Blank 

"I'll sit pretty lor many a year." 



Returned Soldier: "Mother, when will that cock-eyed dinner 
be ready"" 



History of the ieth Engine. 




THE LAMENT OF THE ENGINE 



- 

■ 

How I 

Out of 

Bea . . 
But 

And c : - 

a 
The C 
The dear 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

Our stables weren't so 
Sanitary 

As he liked. And he wanted to know what 
Slum was. A Colonel said 
We were 
Roses 

Born to blush unseen. 
We don't get no 
Medals 

But we work like hell. 
We've had a lot of brand new lieuts 
For skippers. We taught 
Them how to saw-mill; and one 
Wept 

Because wc didn't bow down before him 
And give thanks 

Because he bought us cabbages and tomatoes 
Out of our own mess fund. 
Say! 

Ain't this man's Army. 
A queer proposition? 
But at that we've had a heap of fun 
And lapped up our share of 
I his foolish French booze — ■ 
Lord 1 But 1 wish I had one bottle" 
Of real American 
Beer. 

Say, guy — 

V\ hat would you give to see 
That big old Statue 
There in the bay 
And all them high buildings 
Shining white in the sun" 1 
And slap your old feet 
Down on that same 
Broadway 
We used to know? 
Gee, guy, 

That would be hard to take 
Damn the Germans 
Anywaj 

Private Richard W. Batten, 
Engineers, Forestry. 

From the "Stars and Stripes. 




History of the Twentieth Engineers 



KIDDING THE TROOPS 

The lumberjacks are assembled in the Y hut and a famous 
speaker, of whom nobody present has ever heard, is going strong. 
Of course he has just returned from the Lines. They were all 
that way. you know. 

*'You men are doing essential work, splendid work' The 
Army needs you men down here on this job. You men are more 
heroes than the men at the Front because you get no glory or 
excitement, the work is monotonous, and you have continually to 
curb your longing to get into it Up There. General Pershing said 
to me onlv three davs ago " 



KIDDING THE FOLKS AT HOME 

"There is always great interest in the athletic contests con- 
ducted by the 'Y,' in baseball, track, tennis, etc.,"' writes Lieut. 
R. H. Faulkner in "American Forestry," for July, 1918. Tennis 1 
Why not daub on a little golf, some yachting, and a few ostrich 
races 1 



"Sam, I guess we'll call it a day now," said his superior officer. 

"All right, lieutenant," replied Sam, "but if it's all the same to 
you, lieutenant, I'd like to work a little longer. I think I can 
clean up quite a bit yet before it gets too dark to see. I under- 
stand that some of this lumber we're cutting is going into one of 
the Y. M. C. A. buildings over at ... . and that they 
want to get it up as quick as they can." 

Isn't the above beautiful' It is from "The Why of the Y" 
in "American Forestry" for October, 1918. 



In his terse and gripping eye-witness account of the sinking 
of the "Tuscania," Irvin S. Cobb declares that the deadly torpedo 
was aimed at his vessel, the "Baltic," but by a miracle was 
deflected ! Verily, the ways of Providence are devious. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



THOSE ROADS 

The order that condemned the hard-worked forest troops 
to weeks of labor, literally on the rock pile, was hard to take. 
After the shouting and the tumult died, such an order came like 
a slap in the face to thousands of us who thought we'd done our 
bit. If it'll make anybody feci any better, and maybe it will, 
icad Col. Woodruff's explanation of how it all happened. 

"The national highways and other French roads along our 
line of communications and serving the many camps, training 
centers, and other activities of the A. E. F. were under extremely 
heavy traffic during the summer and fall of 1918, and compara- 
tively little repair work was undertaken because no labor was 
available either from French or American sources. The wet 
weather in the western and southern part of France anel the 
freezing weather in the eastern and northern parts during the 
month of December put the roads in bad condition anel the C. 
in C directeel that month that extensive repairs be undertaken 
along the entire lines of communication, not only in justice to the 
French in repairing their roads damaged by American traffic but 
also to permit continued use of the roads by the American Army." 

(From the Mil. Engr.) 

i eel any better, mates? 



OR A FENGTH OF HAY WIRE 

Too bad the old regiment was so scattereel about that we 
couldn't get together anel fix up regimental insignia. A little life 
in Headquarters might easily have given us something besides 
the undistinctive "S. O. S." label for our manly shoulders. Any- 
body could rummage through his gear and haul out a better one 
than that. The pine tree and the axe were taken by other divi- 
sions. A picture of Old Mother Hubbard, the old girl with the 
bare cupboard, would have been gooel if it wasn't made too much 
like old dutch cleanser. Somebody once suggested the double 
cross, but that party must have been dissatisfied with something. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



BLUNDERLAND 

l Trailing along after Lewis Cafoll 
The sun was shining in a wood in far-off Gascony 
And this was odd. because it was a^ cloudy as could be: 
At least it seemed that way to those who toiled at forestry. 
The Acquisition Officer was peeved, because the sun 
Had got no business to eclipse the leaves that he had on — ■ 
"Why can't he wait till I am gone, after the war is done 1 '' 
"Oh, Captain, take a walk with me.' the Major softly said; 
"\\ iiat pity that the roads aren't good, so we could ride instead 
"It seem'- a blaze has passed this way; perhaps these tree- are dead 
I he Acquisition Officers were sinking to their knees 
Down through the mud that lay among two hundred thousand trees 
(All burned and black and menacing they rattled in the breeze.) 
The Captain ca<t his eye around. Quoth he. "Perhaps the rains 
"That we have had have liquified and wet these sylvan lanes.' 
And this was judgment rare for him — (he hadn't any brains). 
"The time has come," the Major said, "To talk a lot of bunk; 
"Of men and team> and railroad track, and all that kind of junk. 
"My word' while we've been standing here just see how we have sunk 1 
"We must make haste!" the Captain cried. "The purchase for to bin J; 
"I read a newspaper today, just after 1 had dined. 
"And, Major, 1 must break the news — the Armistice is signed!" 
The Captain and the Major then walked forward hand in hand. 
It made them very sad to see dead trees on all that land. 
"If they were only cleared away," they said, "It would be grand." 
"If eighteen hundred men or more should work for half a year, 
"Do you suppose ." the Major said. "That they could get it clear?" 
"1 doubt it," said the Captain, "Sir, let's go and get some beer." 
"My one regret," thz Major said, after the tap had run. 
"Is that I cannot stick around awhile to watch the fun." 
The Captain only winked his eve; "Let's have another one.'' 



ANENT OUR WAR LITERATURE 

Mary Roberts Rinehart in a recent war novel, portrays a 
hero-sergeant who wanted a commission and took pains to let his 
Colonel know it at every opportunity. Mary, did you ever hear 
what the bovs called that kind of a sergeant^ 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



THE FABLE OF THE THREE WISE MEN 

ROLLED INTO ONE 

(Imitation, George, Is The Sincerest Flattery) 

Once upon a Time, way back in the late Teens, the recruiting 
office at Fort Soakum. U. S. A., was Swamped hy the sudden 
clehut into military life of a Prizewinner. The Bird could scarcely 
curb his Impatience while the dignified young gentleman at the 
Ink Pans held his digits for a Silhouette, and when he found that 
Treatment for anthrax, typhoid, small pox, nostalgia and glanders 
was in order, he was Wild. Not that he minded the Needles, but 
the call of the War was Imperative. Having coughed and shown 
them his sun-cured mill he took the Oath and became one of Us. 
He took this step, to last for the duration of the Grief, for the 
reason that each Forestry Battalion was to have two Master 
Engineers, Senior Grade, and he could hardly see why he couldn't 
hold down both jobs, to the music of $168 a month. He figured 
that mail addressed to Master Engineers John K. Data, 20th 
Engineers, would look exceptionally impressive and appropriate. 

It was found expedient by the Powers that were to retain 
Recruit Data at the post to try him out at such Positions as 
Kitchen Polisher, Broom Wielder Between the Bunks, and Cus- 
todian of the Latrine. They even put him to Pearl Diving, but 
it must not be imagined that these jobs kept John from becoming 
Well known around the Fort. Non, non! Within 3 days he had 
located all 20th men within the prison walls, called them by their 
First Names, and talked Timber to them in Scintillant language. 
He gave them to understand that he was Good, and that the world 
might as well know it at once because it would find out anyway. 
Bossing the Woods, the Mill, the Yard, or the Machine Shop 
were all cake to him. He would see that his new friends were 
treated right when the lesser Jobs were passed around. His 
Victims heard with reverence and Awe shucks. 

Of course John K. was put in charge of the Gang that went 
Out one morning bound for the University of Typhoid Knocks 
at Washington. Going down on the Train he talked Timber in 
a loud, experienced Voice, was prominent in the Distribution of the 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

Liquid Coffee, and in general abused the Head of the Herd 
vigorously. 

At the University he soon became so much of a Leader that 
even the Major knew about Private Data. A Dependable, all- 
round man. the Skipper said. Three times a week, when the 
Experience Records were taken, the tattered remains of his 
modesty went A. W. O. L.. and he delivered a line of Chatter that 
was a Lulu. Skull work was his long suit, he gave out in these 
interviews, and in every Case his papers were Sorted Out to One 
Side for future reference. 

On the boat he became Convincing, and all anyone was ex- 
pected to do was to Sit and Listen. The Inserted Tooth was 
decided upon, and the Ease with which he had once adjusted a 
gang of band saw s in the Dark became common knowledge, even 
among the Crew. He did hope they would give him a Shotgun 
Feed. 

After a couple of Paydays they made him a private first class 
on the strength of his performance subtracted from the strength 
of his jaw . 

There was a quiet Swede in the outfit who never could deliver 
Words faster than ten a minute. He looked like he had assembled 
his logging experience in a Hayloft, but after he had shown what 
he could do with the baling wire and bacon cans furnished as spare 
parts for the mill, they put him in Charge at $84 a month. 

Moral: Logs are not cut and sawed with a Vocabulary. 



A BALLAD OF ACTION 

I'm in the Spruce Division! Hooray! Hooray! 
I'm careful what becomes of me. and what the job will pay. 
I may not get a medal, though the chances are 1 may — 
Long live the war! Beaucoup encore! at seven buck'* a day 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



ALPHABET OF THE FORESTRY SECTION 

A for the Army — magnificent pay — 

It giveth and. shortly, it taketh away. 
B is f^attalion, where headquarters guys 

Lived on fried hotcakes and thick apple pies 
C for our Cussedness; we had a plenty — 

\sk any top cutter of Engineers Twenty. 
D for Delouser, and Deep in the guts 

Ot a homewardbound ship, smoking tailormade butts. 
I '. is lor Earnest and Eager, the words 

Officers use in describing us birds 
F lor Fatigue call and also for Flu; 

At times they both helped to make soldier boy blue. 
i . i lor C Irub and lor Goldfish and Green 

Slime on the beef from the old Argentine. 
I 1 lor the 1 lome for old vets, where we'll all 

Swap lies at the end if we don't hit the hall. 
1 for Inspection; once out of the wa\ 

\n inspection was made of the nearest cafe. 
I is for Jadwin, who roosted at lours, 

1 lis orders got some goats — perhaps they got \ours. 
K is for Kicks; we gave skippers no pea< 

(It's the wheel with the squeak that get's most of the greas* 
1. is lor Liquor. Could you get a souse 

\t the faucet that hung from the chemical cows 1 
\1 is lor Mademoiselles an J tor Medics, 

Sure cure lor what ailed you, from heartaches to headaches. 
N is for Nothing to do for days seven 

On leave, and the town seemed a suburb of heaven. 

is the hole in the mud where we set 

The stake to pitch horseshoes; In e francs it 's there \ el ' 
P is lor Phoebe and Poker and Pay 

\nJ Piper and Prince on a cold wintct s day. 
Q for the Questions we asked of the Frogs. 

That came into camp to see Yankees saw logs. 
R is lor Railroading, Rapping the pill, 

And Riding the Rig in the old 20-mill. 
S stands for Skidding and Swamping and such 

.^n^\ it's something to do if you try it on much. 
1 is lor Timbers and Tent-floors and 1 ies 

\\ e made lor the Service that rushed the supplii 

1 lor the Uniform. Pack it away 

With a sack of Bull Durham to keep moths at bay. 

V the gold chevron. Say! Bet you were hating 

Yourself when you first saw the Girl Who'd Been Waiting! 
W .What'll go best for this stanza? 

If you answer the question, won't question the answer. 
X for the Tenth Engineers of just fame; 

When they joined with X-X they put pep in the name. 

Y for the Yankees — intractable men. 

Who'd rather be told Why than What, How, or When 
Z is the letter that ends lots of work. 

Dont't think so 1 Next war be a company clerk! 



History of the Twe ntieth Engineers 

SAINT MIHIEL 

At the time of this made-in-America drive there was a great 
hue and cry for ties heard in the camps of the 20th Engineers. 

WHO WON THE WAR? 

"TIES!" the Colonel thunders, 
And, "TIES 1 " the Major cries 
"TIES! TIES!" the Captain echoes, 
"MORE TIES!" the Lieut, replies 
But when the roar subsided. 
What's this the Top espies" 1 
A Corporal sits and watches 
A PRIVATE hewing ties' 



h\&& 



ny^PXsMl 




Corporal: "I hear they have discovered Christopher Colum- 
bus' bones." 

Dark private: "Why, man, I didn't know they shot craps 
when he was alive." — American Legion Weekly. 

HOME TOWN STUFF 
Ex-Gob: "So Lootenant Guano was engineering with your 
outfit 1 " 

Ex-lumberjack: "No, domineering." 



Y1IMI 
Oh, Mimi Zan's a sleepy girl from Monday until Sat.. 
And trouble line the war-sad face beneath her red-tile hat. 
When leave days come she wakes, and smiles replace the erstwhile frown: 
For francs come in to Mimi when the lumberjacks hit town! 

(11th Company "Mulligan") 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



Major General Rogers, Quartermaster General, reports 
114,008,817 pounds of corned Bill and 207,848,550 pounds of 
goldfish were purchased for the Army during the war. 1 30,388, 162 
pounds of beans were bought, but the appetite of the doughboy 
could not keep pace with the supply, it is said, and millions of 
pounds were on hand at the signing of the armistice. 

Pursuant to the above, a few extracts from the real diary of 
an imitation Corporal, 20th Engineers, may be significant. 

FEBRUARY 3. 1918 
Hash, bacon, hard-tack, coffee (not much of first two). 
Canned willy, hard-tack. 
Hard-tack hash ("camouflage pudding"), coffee, hard-tack. 

MARCH 10.1918 
Hard-tack mush, thin Karo, bread, coffee. 

ILLY 14 (Bastile Da} 
Bread, bacon. Karo. 
Potatoes, gravy, bread, jelly. 

SEPTEMBER 23 

Grub mostly bread, gravy, corn mush. Don't dare eat the bull meat. 
V usual, a bright future and a rotten present as to grub. 

SEPTEMBER 24 
Breakfast: Corn mush with canned milk (16 to 1 i. bread 

Dinner: A little bull meat, bread, gravy, coffee. 

(Note. — The outfit represented by the above samples of some ot its worst 
actually bought and paid for 25% of all food served in camp, out of the men's 
pocket s 



Breakfast: 

Sunday Dinner: 
Supper: 

Breakfast : 



Breakfast : 
Dinner: 




History of the Twentieth Engineers 



BREAKFAST 

(With apologies to Tennyson for the grub) 
Moonlight and morning star, 

And one clear call for me — 
How soft and warm th' unlaundered blankets are 

At Reveille' 
Hot oats and swampy smell, 

And after that a spud ; 
A hunk of punk, and, steaming to be tell, 

A rrug of mud. 
For washing mess-kits the polluted cup 

A Java can't be beat 
1 lark ! In the wash line a wild cry goes up : 

"When do we cat 1 " 



TOUJOURS LE MEME 

No matter how wise or how foolish 

The company's cook may be, 
When down at the table we're seated, 
Two things we all plainly can see; 
When we look at the chow, 
There's the bosom of sow, 
And beans — beans — beans. 

If quartered in city or country. 

The cook never misses his aim; 
If messing in swamp or on mountain. 

Two things will remain quite the same; 
Though it may cause a row, 
We get bosom of sow. 
And beans — beans — beans. 

When tasks for the day are all ended, 

And weary are body and brain, 
Small matter it makes if we're eating 
Indoors, or outside in the rain. 
The cook makes his bow 
With bosom of sow. 
And beans — beans — beans. 

Of all that I've learned in the Army, 

This fact I am sure I know well — 
And others are certain to tell you — 
The soldier's worst picture of Hell 
Is thrice daily chow 
With the bosom of sow 
And beans — beans — beans. 



Corp. Vance C. Ceiss, 

Twentieth Engineers. 
In "Stars and Stripes." June 21. 1918. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

WHO TAKES THE DOG? 

The bear was close behind me. Seemingly I was lost. Sud- 
denly I turned, siezed the animal by the snout, thrust my arm 
far down his throat and, grasping his tail, with a sudden jerk I 
turned him completely inside out, whereupon he naturally ran 
back the way he had come. — Baron Munchausen. 

There we stood, the first human beings to reach the North 
Pole. — Dccook. 

"The large size appetite that accumulates in a lumber camp 
is very satisfactorily treated three times a day with good, sub- 
stantial, clean and well cooked food." — Capt. R. H. Faulkner, 
20th Engrs., "American Forestry," July, 1918 

With a bonus for the service men we would be forced to es- 
establish the most oppressive system of taxes in the world. — 
Representative Hull, of Tennessee. 

We repeat: Who takes the dog? 

THE TENTH ENGINEERS 

filth and 12th Battalions, 20th Engineers) 
From Irll and woods, from farm and from the collegi 

Responding to the wanderlust of war; 
And. with their manhood, bringing Moll and knowledge, 

They came, impatient to he sent afar. 
Eager lor unknown dangers old and young 

Looked forward with expectant hearts to France; 
Homes, aspirations far behind wer: flung 

To work or fight —they asked but half a chance. 
But not for eyes ot these the battle's glory; 

Not theirs the thrill of seeing foe advance; 
Nor theirs the splendor, old as war's grim story, 

01 offering one's sell to circumstance. 
But by relentless, Mncw-burning toil, 

I hrough day, night, sun and snow, on hill and fen 
They felled the statelj trees of France, whose soil 

Clasps some t<( them who'll not come back again 
And what rewards are theirs for future Years" 1 

Not cherished battle scars to show to sons 
Nor knowledge that they calmed the New World's fears- 
Proclaimed bv states as "they who faced the guns." 
Their memories more soft and gentle are: 

The Clyde, the Pvrenee . a French girl's face, 
The soft Azores, and (more than these by Ian 

A duty greatly done for home and race. 
Ah. what remains of their stupendous task 1 

The hospitals, mills, barracks, sheds for miles, 
So soon are torn away, as though a mask: 

Their only monuments — their sawdust piles! 

Clarence Hill Burrage. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



SOCIETY NOTE 
A large number of former members of the 20th Engineers have 
taken steps to assure themselves of a flock of dependents in time 
for the next war. 



ONE POINT OF VIEW 

The poorest place on earth is Lan> 

1 like it. 
It's hot as hell here on the sar 

I like it. 
I hate to think I'll spend a year 
Down in the Service of the Rear: 
But then. I guess I'm glad I'm here — 

I like it. 

iBIl 

The Top Cutter, bawling out a soldier: "Ole. I can see your 
finish." 

"No. Some. I banc Svedish." 



AND THEY CALLED I S "SAFETY FIRST ' f 
Salonika, October 1st, 1918. Bulgaria signed the surrender 
terms today. This victory disrupts the military unity of the 
Central Allies and insures victory in the near future. 

New York. October 2nd. 1918. Recruiting offices were crowded 
today with long waiting lines of anxious volunteers. Most of the 
recruits are sturdy and eager, and many are joining the Marines 
("First to Fight") and the Tank Corps (Treat Em Rough"). 
This is the greatest rush of recruits since the German drive b 
last spring. 

Remember those hot summer days in "18 when the blow -flics 
buzzed and wrestled together on the beef hanging in the meat 
house' We'll say it smelled of f al! 

IN THAT MAN'S ARMY 
There was often a difference in application of the terms 
"commissioned man" and "officer." 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

OUR NEIGHBORS OF TRAINING DAYS 

Memories of the days of Squads East, and Platoons Order 
Arms, March, of American University and Belvoir, bring to mind 
the names of three of our sister regiments who shared our camps 
and drillfields, our guard-mounts and canteens, and who went 
overseas with our blessing and our unspoken wonder as to where 
and when we'd meet again. 

These were the Sixth Engineers (a regular outfit from Texas) 
who hung out at Washington Barracks, the 30th Engineers (Gas 
and Flame), and the 40th Engineers (Camouflage), camped at 
the University. Only our earlier battalions knew them, for the 
Sixth went overseas in November, in time to make a glorious 
name for themselves and the Engineer Corps and to rob the 
Marines of the proud slogan "'First to Fight" by helping the 
British hold the line at Cambrai in December, 1917. 

The 30th Engineers marched to the train on their way to 
France on Christmas Day. 1917, passing out of camp between the 
honoring and envying files of our 4th Battalion. Little did we 
who watched them guess that fifty per cent of their service records 
were destined to come back to Washington endorsed "Killed in 
Action" or "Died of Wounds." 

The 40th Engineers embarked with our 3rd and 4th Battalions 
on the "America" the 4th of January, 1918. We parted with 
them at Brest, and their future career was all that their most 
enthusuastic sculptors and scene painters could have desired. 
They made mountains out of mole hills and stumps of lath and 
plaster all the way from Soissons to Verdun, and eventually 
grew into a definite branch of the seiwice of their own, as did the 
30th. Those familiar collar ornaments, the Sign of the Chamelion 
and the Crossed Retorts, tell the story of the deeds of our neighbors 
of training days. 



History of the Twentieth Fngineers 




C'EST CA 

I shorely ain't much ov a soldier, 
Er else they w'uld give me a gun, 
Instead ov a axe an' a crosscut, 
Fer fightin' agin th' dern Hun. 
I'll own that it shore is some safer, 
Plumb back from th' hell-scrapin' line; 
An' yet, jest o'thinkin' o' safety. 
T' me don't appear very fine. 
There's never no chanst ,t git medals 
That'll shine mighty bright on yer bre 
When once y'u git back t' th' Homeland 
\n' settle down fer a rest. 
An' even th bloomin' ole papers 
Dont' carry no picters ov us; 
In some ways, we might as well be 
A thousand o' miles frum th' fuss. 
An' yit I jest kaint help a-thinkin' 
O' what in the devil we'd do 
With nothin' but crosscuts an' axes — 
If ever them Boches got through. 

Corp. Vance C. Criss, 20th Engineers. 
In "Stars and Stripes" July 2b. l Q 2*. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 




IN THE ENGINEERS 

ll it's work you would be doin 
Such as tics in need of hewin' 
I il vcr hack is jes' one ruin, 

Join th' Engineers 
hell the trees an get from under. 
Chute th logs without a blunder, 
Work th whole day jes' like thunder. 

In th' Engineers 
Work like hell a-diggin' ditches, 
bavin' track or settin' switches. 
\n vcr pay sure ain't no riches i. 

In th' Engineers. 
Even when th' rain is pourin' 
An' you hear the big guns roarin 
Jes' go right on with yer chorin , 

In th Engineers. 
It you hear th motor hummin 
On a Boche plane that is comin , 
Don't stop work ler fear o' bombin'. 

In th' Engineers. 
Night time comes, an' things that's creepy, 
In a tent that's sort o' seepy — 
\in r no bother, you're so sleepy, 

In th' Engineers. 
Sometimes, too, you may be driven. 
When th' best you've got you're givin': 
Still, th' life is sure worth livin", 

In th' Engineers. 

Vance C. Criss, 20th Engineers. 

In "Stars and Stripes, " June 7, 1928. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



THANK GOD FOR HARRIS. HE KEPT US OUT OV W \R 
DEPARTMENT FILES! 

Chapter 1. 

Ye managing editor wrote the A. G. in Washington for various 
little incidentals such as a regimental roster, casualty list, list of 
decoratiDns awarded, and overseas stations of the units, to he 
used in the preparation of this book. It was- a big order, but he 
did hope to get some of it. Attention to orders' 

"Referring to your letter of March 1, 1920, requesting certain 
information for use in connection with the preparation of a 
regimental history of the 20th Engineers. I have the honor to 
inform you that in view of the labor that would be required and 
the insufficiency of clerks, it is regretted that it is impracticable 
to furnish the information requested by you. 

Very respectfully, 
P. C. Harris. 

The Adjutant General. 
per "c.ii.d." 
Chapter 2. 

"IDLE EMPLOYEES CROWD CAPITOL. ADMINISTRA- 
TION OFFICIALS ARE ON GRILL DAILY. BYRNES 
SAYS CLERKS TELL HIM THERE'S NO WORK 

Washington. March 27. If the clerks know when 

the officer is coming, they could get busy immediately when he 
comes in sight. Mr. Byrnes pointed out. 

Gen. Harris said that this is true, but that the inspections are 
not made at regular times. He said he himself frequently inspected 
the force and instancing one building containing 1500 clerks had 
found 'probably three or four clerks who were not actually en- 
gaged and seldom found more than a dozen clerks not actually 
hard at work.' 

Visions of 1500 clerks in one building made us feel that some- 
body was spoofing, and we called. "Boy. page an old, seedy 
geezer with a lantern in his hand. But. gentle reader, watch tor 
the next chapter! 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

Chapter 3. 

"Washington, February 17, 1920. The War Department 
took steps today to expedite prosecution of willful draft slackers 
and clear up this phase of its war records. As a preliminary 
measure the adjutant general was directed to study the records 
of 151.354 cases classed as non-willful and 173,911 classed as 
willful deserters remaining on the books " 

Moral: — Be sure you're right and then get the facts. 

RATHER PEDICULIAR 
The Medic: 'Wot ja know, Sarge! A bird reported lousy 
to-day an' he's wrote home he's got pediculosis. Gee, some 
fellus is ign'runt!" 

A LIQUOR LICENSE 
When the America dropped anchor at Brest, as she had a bad 
habit of doing, a flock of floating life saving stations clustered 
around her W. C. T. U. bows. A member of the regiment had 
coddled a thirst for thirteen (13) days and felt like the ancient 
mariner who complained of "water, water everywhere, and not a 
drop to drink." So he made haste to order up — about 50 feet up — 
a bottle of vang pale, paying for same with a 1916 hunting license 
issued by the State of California. 

' WHERE WEALTH ACCUMULATES . ." 
We get back home and find swarms of cooties under the 
shirt of the body politic; we find nobody engaged in the pleasant 
pastime of making rings out of francs and everybody watching 
the other fellow making a bum out of the dollar; we find enough 
new millionaires to fill the 20th to full strength; we find the 
lads that settled back among the cushions during the war have 
hoarded up the darby; and bearded prophets roosting in their 
leather chairs and passing out advice to "work, work, work." 
By the hinges of mother's oven, that's what we've been doing in 
France! How's chances to play a little while? Oh, not so good, 
brother! But ain't it sweet to get home 1 Be it ever so hum- 
bugged, there's no place like it. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



We may have felt neglected at times when the Rain- 

Division and other units with glorious records and famous insignia 

on their shoulders stood in the calcium glare rejoicing. Just to 

be disagreeable, let"s look who's here: 

The Asphalt N 

The Boulevard Shock Troops of Caumont. 

The Field Clerks at Tours. 

The Spruce Division. 

The Dictagraph Division at Washington. 

The Wish-I-Wa c -Under-45 Divisi< 

The Payroll Division at the Shipyard^. 

The Spoils Division, consisting of some 23.000 new swillionaires, 
was never mobilized. And it must in all fairness be remembered 
that there were many heavy batteries in the shipyards, sup- 
ported, of course, by the requisite number of infielders and out- 
fielders. And the Yellow Division. 



Sgt. G. I. Can., 20th, was a hum-dinger at that carelessthenix 
stuff. Over in the drill field near the University he used to say 
in his determined way. "Arms at the thirst, place!" Of course 
he'd read his little book wrong and had turned around the letters 
in the work "thrust." The command, as he gave it, called for 
equipment of brass and mahogany. 



S. O. S. TO DOUGHBOY 

It may not sound like a helluva lot, now that the grind is through. 

To have labored seven days a week, back in the rear for you; 

Barracks and railroads and docks and such are easy to build, no doubt. 

But when you've constructed a million or more, you're glad to be mustered out. 

When your back's been lame for eighteen months, and your feet are soaked 

and sore. 
And the word comes back from the front, "More ^peed' We're using more 

and more. " 
And the rain 's a soppin' up the ground till your knees are down in the mess, 
When deserters make for the danger rone — it's hell in the S. O. S. 
No. we ain t been up in a front line trench, and we haven't one D. S 
And we don't pretend to a thing, old scout, in the line of bra\c 
Our job had mostly just been to sweat and muddle around in muck- 
But twas good for you lads in front of us. that while you fought — we stuck. 

Ralph Underwood, 

In "Stars and Stripes.'' 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



THROUGH MILITARY CHANNELS 

From: Editors, Book of the 20th Engineers. 

To: Lt. Oolalalondc. 20th Engineers 

Subject: Burned Area. 

1 Would request short account Burned Area operation, in- 
cluding reasons therefore and results accomplished. 

2. Current comment on operation unfavorable. Hope your 
report will vindicate same 

The Editors. 
1ST IND. 
From; Oolalalondc. 

To: Corporal Hasty Funeral. 20th Engineers. 

1 . Never heard of it. 

2. Am passing the stag to you. 1 lasty. 

Ti ii Lieu i i n w i . 
2ND IND. 
From: Hasty Funeral. 
To: Commanding Wagoner, Base Hospital 12345e>7. A. E. F. 

1. Seems like some 20th Engineer has been injured by fire. 

Hasty. 
3RD IND. 
From: Wagoner M. Uell Skinner, Base Hosp. 7054321, A. E. F. 

To: Commanding Saddler, Base Section No. 00, 

1. A. Rea, 20th Engineers, never admitted this Hosp. 

2. Shoot a franc. 

Skinner. 
4TH IND. 
From: Saddler Benedictine. Base Section 00, Staving Off Starvation. 

To: Commanding Bos"n., Forest Castaways, A, E. F. 

1. Drop in when you get a chance. Have new bunch snappy 
postcards to show you. 

2. Forwarded. 

3. Forwarded. 

4. Ask J ad. he kn< >\\ s 

Bi \. 
5TH IND. 
From: Bos'n in Command, Forest Castaways. 

To: ('.apt Jadwin, Division o! Results, S. O. S. 

1, I his ktter makes me homesick for the war. 

2. Turn back the universe, and give me yesterday. 

Bos'n. Cmdg. 
6TI 1 IND. 
From: Capt. Jadwin. S. O. S. 

To: Commanding Matron, Central Records Office. Par B. C. M., 

Slaves Over Seas, Court of the Four Seasons, By Courier, By Golly, 
Promenadec. (Fore-et-Aft) France. 

1. To hades with yesterday, give me the universe. 

2. To be sunk without trace. 

J AD. 

7TH IND. 
From: The Editors, Book of the 20th Engineers 

To: 18,000 vets of the Regiment. 

1 . Found this by great luck in a box of shredded wheat. 

Editor. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



MUSINGS FROM THE SERVICE OF SURPRISE 

(Sam. give us some mournful music and violet lights) 
Maybe I'm wrong, but 
I think I am the only guy 
Of the A. Expeditionary F. 
Who used to cuss the American magazines 
With their fairy tales about the soldiers 
And ads about the Patriotic Six. 
Chorus 
What fools 
These mortals 
Be. 
Methinks, I was the only one 
Of the mob shanghaied in France 
Who used to cuss the slackers 
And the songs about Yankee Doodle 
And the grey-beards who howled, 
"Let the boys rebuild France.'' 
Chorus 
1 guess no one but me 
Used to wish he had a monicker 
As long as the Prince of Wales' 
And that he lived in Passamaquaddv 
With leave to whittle his name and address 
All over the war profiteers. 

Chorus 
Of course I was the only bird 
That used to wish he was in Paris 
With an indefinite pass 
And tottering under a load of francs 
And able to tell any old ship cap'n, 
"Home, James! " 

Chorus 

AN OVERSEAS AD 
MOUCH'S TONSORIAL EMPORIUM 
(Right near the Infirmary) 
One barber — no long waits. Proprietor is graduate barber, having com- 
pleted a four-year course at the Seattle Barbers' College in eight days 
Customers leave our shop with a feeling of great relief! 
Caricature work a specialty. Try our Socony hair restorer. 
Shinola applications for dandruff only two-bits 
We do no mule clipping. 

N. C. Mourn, Prop. 




History of the Twentieth Engineers 




Off Ditty at AixXes Bains 

I ML GLOATINGS OF A SAM-BROWNED I 1 MBERJACK 

(Mr. Tennyson, here we go again.) 

IN THE STATES 
Limelight, and shoulder bar! 

Ad\ enture calls to me! 
(But may we sail not where the I l-boats are 

When 1 put out to sea. i 

IX FRANCE 

I he morning bugle calls me not from sleep; 

\\ it houl a pass I roam. 
My salary, in francs, makes quite a heap; 

1 live as though at home. 
Moonlight, and village belle. 

Alter that a dance. 
The privates' mail no spicy tales can tell 

Of me in France! 

Life over thar wasn't as monogamous for the officers as for 
the men, as a rule. No" Yes? 



Private James Douglas, 20th Engineers, a man who has solved 
many intricate problems in dietetics, says. "Feed hard-tack to 
the mules; thev are natural lv short lived." 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



MEDITATIONS OF MAJOR DORMANT DOME 
(forestry) 

How I hate to go home! Gee. I dread leaving France 

With her cony and benny and beer — 
Sure no place for a Dome in the Zone of Advance ; 

It is fitting that I should be here, 
Tra-la! 

Most fitting that I should be here. 
1 he war could continue and not anger me. 

(How a Cadillac rocks one to sleep 'i 
Give all that is in you, boys, work eagerly: 

In a vear vou'll go back o'er the deep, 
Tra-la! 

In a \ear you'll go back o'er the deep 
In the Zone of Advance they are through with their job; 

There is nothing for them but the past. 
But all over France is my Forestry mob: 

Twill be strange if I can't make it last, 
Tra-la ! 

\ erv strange if I can't make it last. 
It won't hurt them to wait: they can grub up the stumps, 

They can fix all the roads and the mills. 
(In a Cadallic Eight you don't notice the bumps, 

And it is sure is a bear on the hills, 
Tra-la ! 

A galloping fool on the hilN 
On a beautiful river a sweet little lass 

Thinks I am a soldat tres bo. 
Oh. Sergeant, just give her a little more gas; 

I will spend me the week-end in Pau, 
Tra-la ! 

I'll have a big week-end in Pau. 



"Q. B. S." 
These letters came into general use in some of the camps of 
the reg. to describe a large and flourishing fraternity that came 
into being. Quiet But Staggering. Members had to have certain 
qualifications such as being a jolly good fellow. The inner circle 
of this frat. was known as "The Clutching Hand," a secret cult 
of fire-water worshippers whose only public appearance was at 
the end of certain Sabbaths, when the entire membership sallied 
forth in close order, publicly announcing a generous offer to 
fight anyone in camp. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



DEFINITIONS 

Mill: Sometimes referred to as a sawmill. A quiet place 
where the company clerk went to read on Sunday afternoons. 

Office: Le Bureau; Orderly Room. Noisiest place, except 
the mill, on the campus. Where the officers used to get warm 
when they were not in "The Quarters." 

Kitchen: About the same as the Mess Hall. Safest place in 
camp to hide hooch, if you wanted to lose it. 

Latrine: The fly nursery. Temple of Latrina, the goddess of 
i ime off. 

Canteen: Where everything wanted was expected this after- 
noon, or yesterday. The death-bed of Jack. 

Sunday Service: Where a man went when he wanted to be by 
himself for a little while. 

WHEN YANKEE DOODLE LEARNED TO PARLEZ-VOUS 

"MALADE" 
Scenel. The office shack. Time, November 10, 1918, Cast of characters: 

1 he Top and the Medic. 
I he lop: What's the matter with Red this mornin*?*' 
The Pill Roller: "Don't know; he's got 104 " 
I he Top: "Send him to the kitchen to help peel spuds." 
Scene 2. Same lime. November 12, 1918. 

The Top: "Anybody on the sick book this smornin'. Iodine?" 

The Medic: "Eighteen to-day, Sarge." 

The Top: "What's wrong with these soldiers' 1 

The Medic: "Nine have bad cases of dandruff, eight have large holes 

in their socks, and one was sneezing fearfully at breakfast. 
The Top: "Quarters for the lot is jake 

THOSE TRANSFERS TO THE OLD TENTH 
Several of the earlier companies of the 20th were away over 
authorized strength when they left Hoboken. This condition was 
for the purpose of bringing up to strength some of the old Tenth 
outfits, but the men who made out alphabetical rosters, sailing 
lists, insurance, allotments, etc. at the University and who 
were accustomed to be interrupted in their patriotic labors by 
the notes of Reveille, could not appreciate the joke. Neither 
could the men whose names appeared in the transfer orders, after 
the shores of France were near. In fact they were all cut up 
over it — leaving the old gang, and all — but when the old Tenth 
pulled out for the States early in January, 1919, the thing looked 
different. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



HERE'S MUD IN YOUR EYE, FATHER NEPTUNE! 

Down in the Lander, hear dat moneful soun"; ;ill dc Yankees are a- 
singin' — cause Neptune he's jus' stickin' roun'! Our rations are low, but 
why should we fret 1 We can fill out gut out long dc wet! Oool-oe-leo. — 
dat's marjoreee! Neptune's dc C. O. of our Q. M. Sea! 

Troops stationed within hike or bike distance of Mimizan- 
les-Bains had things pretty soft now and then. Talk about 
welfare organizations! The Atlantic Distributing Agency was 
one of the best for us. The Bay of Biscuits is well named, only 
it wasn't baking while we were there — shortage of materials 
First there was a cargo of oranges beached, then a cask or two of 
Dago red. October 8th a wine ship was torpedoed and some- 
thing like 1600 barrels of good, assorted licker, washed ashore. 
People came all the way from Pontenx to see what was up, and 
an account of the battle was published in the "Stars and Stripes." 
Many of the natves became intoxicated. Some of the boys buried 
barrels of it in the sand back of the beach, but the wily French 
customs officers probed into the situation with long iron rods, 
with unsatisfactory results to the troops. 

By way of helping us celebrate the end of a year in the woods 
we got a few barrels of Jamaica rum at Neptune's service bar. 
It was undoubtedly Very Old. Bottled crime, third rail, T. N. T., 
liquid horseshoes, go only part way in describing it. A man just 
naturally hollered for a pyrene after a shot thereof. 

The old War had its compensations! 




History of the Twentieth Engineers 



A tabulation of the wildcat press that from time to time 
lifted its head and screeched in the forests all over France would 
materially increase the paper shortage. One of the most ambitious 
was "Jusqu'au Bout" (Until the End) published by the head- 
quarters of the 1st and 3rd Companies, 1st Battalion. It was a 
w-e-e-k-1-y four-page printed sheet with a heading showing the 
valiant forest troops worrying away at the job of felling a huge 
oak, into the butt of which a striking likeness of the kaiser had 

grown. 

"We only have one word 

Jusqu'au Bout ! 
The axe will be our sword, 

Jusqu'au Bout! • 

Side by -ide with France 
Until deliverance. 

Jusqu'au Bout ! " 

A recent silver-stripe volume of Doughboy humor tells ol 
a Yank raid en Jerry's lines at Mons, a Cockney's heroism at 
Licgc, a Buffalo Division coup at Amiens, and a victorious counter- 
attack by the Marines at Cantigny. 

Query: Will the forthcoming new edition narrate a few hair- 
breadth excapades of the Spruce Division at Tours 1 




TWO r>n$ -HL COML3 . - 



Editorially Speaking 

There should be written another history of the Twentieth 
Engineers. This is an account of what the men did ; of our comings 
and goings, our good times and our bad times. It is the story of 
18,000 men who went into the Army to cut lumber in France 
during the Great War. Another history, telling of what a dozen 
or two of the men higher up did in the work of producing lumber 
in France, should include the relation of the technical problems 
faced and overcome. Organization, transport, food, clothing, 
machinery, equipment, shelter; liaison with the French authorities, 
acquisition of stumpage, distribution of troops, utilization of 
products, transportation difficulties, recruiting of animals, reports 
and other paper work, transfers, leaves, discipline, morale, pro- 
motion of officers, mill construction, liquidization, allocation of 
production, health, sanitation, and other subjects will and should 
furnish ample interesting material for another work on the 
regiment. We cannot claim to have covered the ground and have 
made no more than a passing mention of most of the above. 
Gentlemen of Tours, the technical history of the regiment is your 
oyster. We'll be wanting a copy. 



THE AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION 
At about the same time that the United States Forest Service 
was organized the Tenth Engineers, the American Forestry 
Association started a Welfare Fund for the Forest troops. As the 
need for increased work in providing comforts for the lumber 
regiments developed, the fund increased its organization and came 
to be called the Welfare Fund for Lumbermen and Foresters in 
War Service. The committee in charge of the work was made up of 
prominent representatives of the Lumber Industry, the Order of 
Hoo-Hoo, the U. S. Forest Service, the American Forestry Asso- 
ciation, and the Lumber Trade Press. The fund grew to a total 
of $19,424.44 and was devoted to the purchase of wool for knitting 
into sweaters, etc., for the purchase of athletic equipment, phono- 
graphs, etc., for assistance to needy families of service men, for 
loan to soldiers in need of cash, and to find jobs for men after 
discharge. In the words of the Senior Chaplain, writing from 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

FTance, "The Welfare Fund raised for the men of the Twentieth 
Engineers is unique in the A. E. F. No other organization that I 
know of has had such splendid backing as the Forestry troops in 
France." 

THE FOREST SERVICE 

In addition to having charge of the recruiting of the Tenth 
Engineers, and to assisting in the organization of the Twentieth, 
the U. S. Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture raised 
a fund of $4,274.68 for the purchase of two motor ambulances and 
two kitchen trailers. Six phonographs with records were sent 
across with the Tenth also. 'The women of the Forest Service 
organized, with Mrs. Henry S. Graves as Chairman, for the 
knitting of woolen garments. Members of the Washington 
Office prepared a large Christmas box for the regiment, the same 
being sent November 15th, 1917 and arriving at destination June 
25th, 1918, exactly six months late lor Christmas. The Forest 
Service, working with the Potomac Division of the Red Gross, 
furnished practically every man of the Twentieth, in training at the 
I niversity, with a sweater and other welcomed knitted apparel. 
\\ hen the Armistice came, the committee had on hand large 
amounts of knitted things and these were disposed of to other 
branches of the service and to the Serbian Relief Committee. 
The ladies of the Forest Service offered to send Christmas boxes 
to any men who would send them official labels and 283 men were 
given Christmas cheer in this way. 

'1 he several overseas organizations to promote the welfare 
of the soldiers- the Red Cross, Y. M C. A.. Knights of Columbus, 
and American Library Association did a great deal to further the 
comfort and happiness of the Twentieth Engineers. Athletic 
equipment, reading matter, cigarettes, stationery, games, pianos, 
and many other things were provided by these organizations in 
the remote camps of the regiment. 



3n jrflemortam 



CASUALTY LIST OF THE TWENTIETH ENGINEERS 
Through the courtesy of Major Edwin H. Marks we present 
the casualty list of the regiment, compiled by him from the records 
in the Office of the Chief of Engineers. Investigation revealed 
the fact that the records in the Office of the Chief of Engineers are 
quite incomplete and not at all uniform, due to misunderstanding 
of or non-compliance with, regulations for reporting deaths by 
various company commanders. The lists of the Adjutant General 
are not made up according to organizations, and to compile a 
regimental casualty list from the records available in Washington 
would entail the examination of several hundred thousand indivi- 
dual death reports. Exhaustive correspondence with company 
commanders, first sergeants and clerks would give a more com- 
plete record than that which follows, but such a plan would be 
impracticable. It is altogether probable that 375 men of the 
regiment lost their lives in the service of cur country. Nearly 
150 men were reported by name: 170 were reported but not by 
name; and it is estimated that about 70 others died in companies 
that did not report at all. 

"These laid the world away; poured out the red 
Sweet wine of youth; gave up the years to be 
Of work and joy, and that unhoped serene 
That men call age; and (hose who would have been 
Their sons, they gave, their immortality." 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

OFFICIAL LIST OF LOSSES OF TWENTIETH 

ENGINEERS 

As Reported by the Chief of Engineers 

(Except where noted, deaths occurred in France, from disease 
or accident.) 

1st Battalion Hq. Edward E. Hartwick. 

2nd Battalion Hq. Arthur Drake. 

5th Battalion Hq. . Albert O. L'rbach. 

bth Battalion Hq William F. Bennett, lost on Tuscania 

Edwin R. Berkly, lost on Tuscania 

Walter F. Brown, lost on Tuscania. 

Raymond Butler, lost on Tuscania. 

Arthur \\ Collins, lost on Tuscania. 

Gerald E. Clover, lost on Tuscania. 

2nd Co Homer W. Ward. 

3rd Co George Barnett. 

Harry F. Davis, at sea. 
Timothy L. White. 

!6thCo Frederick Allen, lost on Tuscania. 

Stanley Augspurger, lost on Tuscania. 
Gunder G. Austad. lost on Tuscania. 
H. C. Bates, lost on Tuscania. 
Sidney W. Bernitt, lost on Tuscania. 
Claude Bradley, lost on Tuscania. 
Verner C. Brandland, lost on Tuscania. 
Rocco Calabrese, lost on Tuscania. 
Aha N. Collins, lost on Tuscania. 
J. B. Crow, lost on Tuscania. 
Marcus B. Cook, lost on Tuscania. 
Elmer L. Cowan, lost on Tuscania. 
Norman C. Crocker, lost on Tuscania. 
William A. Dintor, lost on Tuscania. 
Frank Dragota, lost on Tuscania. 
John Eichhammer, lost on Tuscania. 
Winston A. Hartsock, lost on Tuscania. 
E. A. Houston, lost on Tuscania. 
Wesley W. Hyatt, lost on Tuscania. 
John A. Laako, lost on Tuscania. 
Thomas A. Llewelyn, lost on Tuscania. 
William P. Morin, lost on Tuscania. 
Roy Muncaster, lost on Tuscania. 
Riley F. Murray, lost on Tuscania. 
Joe R. Redfield, lost on Tuscania. 
John C. Robinson, lost on Tuscania. 
N. B. Short, lost on Tuscania. 
James A. Schleiss, lost on Tuscania. 
William J. Trageser, lost on Tuscania. 
Thomas S. Wasson, lost on Tuscania. 
Robert F. Warren, lost on Tuscania. 



His tory of the Twentieth Engineers 

Philip E. Wiegand, lost on Tuscania. 
Clea Bargaerstock, missing on Tuscania. 
Ruben Cohen, missing on Tuscania. 
Alexander J. Dunn, missing on Tuscania. 
Dale M. Fish, missing on Tuscania 
Matt Latham, missing on Tuscania. 
Lambert M. Mocker, missing on Tuscania. 
Benjamin G. Omstcd, missing on Tuscania 
Ellis M. Smith, missing on Tuscania. 
Fred M. Linger, missing on Tuscania. 

17th Co J- J- Byrne, lost on Tuscania. 

John Edwards, lost on Tuscania. 
Clyde C. Jenkins, lost on "Tuscania. 
John C. Johnson, lost on Tuscania. 
James Logan, lost on Tuscania. 
W. Raines, lost on Tuscania. 
Peter Dethman, lost on Tuscania. 

18th Co. . . . . R. A. Agren, lost on Tuscania. 

David C. Bant on, lost on Tuscania. 

C. M. H. Beaner, lost on Tuscania 

G. N. Bjork, lost on Tuscania. 

J.J. Buckley, lost on Tuscania. 

J. W. Cheshire, lost on Tuscania 

C. H. Davidson, lost on Tuscania. 

William J. Drogs, lost on Tuscania. 

E. H. Duffy, lost on Tuscania. 

Jack R. Gurney, lost on Tuscania. 

T. W. Herman, lost on Tuscania. 

W. R. Johnson, lost on Tuscania. 

G. Lakcman, lost on Tuscania. 

Alfie Lecarl, lost on Tuscania. 

Fred M. Linton, lost on Tuscania. 

\\ . Matthews, lost on Tuscania. 

H. E. Page, lost on Tuscania. 

Sam 1 1 Penticost, lost on Tuscania. 

J. L. Perce, lost on "Tuscania. 

Luther B. Reeder, lost on "Tuscania. 

George H. Reinhart, lost on Tuscania 

L. Roberts, lost on Tuscania. 

T. E. St. Clair, lost on Tuscania. 

Eugene W. Snyder, lost on Tuscania. 

G. E. Swanson, lost on Tuscania. 

Milton Tully, lost on Tuscania. 

T. Tut tic. lost on Tuscania. 

Julius D. Wagoner, lost on Tuscania. 

G. R. West, lost on Tuscania. 

Gustas W. Wilson, lost on Tuscania. 

W. W. Wright, lost on Tuscania. 

G V. Zimmerman, lost on Tuscania. 

T. E. Lewton, missing on Tuscania. 

James R. Potille, missing on Tuscania. 

Luther W. Oament, missing on Tuscania. 

Alpha L. Rice, missing on Tuscania. 

Charles E. Wayne, missing on Tuscania. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 

22nd Co Charles Burch. 

John W. Knowles. 
Harry W J. Kelly. 

24th Co Walter B. Spradlin. 

Robert W. Jackson. 
John E. Coote. 
h ( '.ollins. 

26t h Co \ lartin Kreug 

Leon Im 

\\ illiam R. Gorham. 
\i;i Bar! i • 
George Billings. 

29th Co David B Asher. 

38th Co H. H. MacPherson, killed in action. 

Sidney J . Anderson 
James W Mo 

1 1 iseph P. Ingle. 
Samuel Barnet t 
Columbus E. Barn >\\ 

$9th Co Vincent J. Stenger, England. 

Julius 1 lymer 

41st Co A. Johnson. England. 

Joseph A Erickson. 

\\ P. Rogers. 

42nd Co James E. Fitzsimmon 

1st Service Co Howard S. Oakman. 

Robert M. Dowling. 
lames R. Lowry 

2nd Service Co. . Peter C. Smith. 

4th Service Co. Lawrence C. Fisher. 

Edward Kazmirski. 

Louis M. \\ eed 

5th Service Co. . Joseph W. Mi li 

9th Service Co. Cephus^Feelinj 

Jodi Aiken. 

1 3th Sen ice ( '.o. . Vaden 1 lobb: 

loth Service Co, Ruhen Tucker, I . S. 

Pete Tomling, I S 
Zedetiah Mitchell, U. S. 
Isiah Myers, 

I 8th Service Co. . Alexander Frances, U. S. 

Sheridan Goudeau. 

2 1st Service Co. . . Will Fitzhugh. 

Edward O. Bailey. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



Losses reported by the Chief o 


Engineers by number only 


4th ( '.o. . Eight. 


4 3 r d ( o 


Six. 


5th Co. . . Eleven. 


nh < 


Two I S. 


ethCo. . 




\<.ne 




One France 


7th Co 




Seven. 


4 5th ( - 


None. 


8th Co. . 




rwo 


Co 


None 


9th Co. . 




Two, I S 


47th Co. . . 


Three 


( 'iic at sea. 


48th Co. . . 




Three France 





\ i report . 


10th Co. . 1 wo 


3rd Serv < < i 


None. 


1 1th Co 






Fifteen. 


6th Ser\ ! 


F( >Lir 


12th C. 






Eleven. 


7th Ser\ i 


Nine. 


I3th( o 






None. 




1 'Ai. 


I 4th ( c 






Seven. 


10th Sen Co 




15th Co. 






No report 


1 1th Sen ( 


Ni mi . 


19th ( o 






Three 


12th Ser\ I 


One 


20th Co. 






Four 


1 4t h Ser\ ( J i 


Two 


21st Co. 






( )ne France 
rwo at sea 


1 5th Serv . Co. 


Two 1 S. 
One France 


2 3 rd Co. 






1 A 1 1 


17th Sen ( < < 


No repi irl 


Z5th < o 






None 


19th Sen < 


Thre 


27th ( '(). 






No report 


20th Sen i 


None. 


28th ( o 






Sex en. 


22nd Sen i 


None. 


50th Co. 






No rep< >rt 


23r 1 Serv Co 


None. 


Jlst Co. 






No report 


24t h Sen < i 


None. 


52nd ( o 






Three. 


25th Serv. Co. 


F iur. 


53rd ( 






No report 


26th Serv. Co. 


One 


34th ( a 






No report. 


2/ th Sen . Co. 


None. 


35th Co. 






No report. 


28th Serv, Co. 


No repot t . 


36th ( '<) 






No report. 


• ATTAC1 IEC 


"TROOPS 


37th Co 






No report. 


547th Engrs. 


Twenty-three. 


40th Co. 






1 W( I 


54sth Engrs. . 


Five. 



INOFFICIAL LIST OF LOSSES 

In addition to the names of clcael reported by the Chiei ol 

Engineers, the following men of the Twentieth Engineers are 

known to have lost their lives. This list is in no wise official, but 

has been gathered from reliable sources. 

6th Co Frederick H. Kreugcr. 

7th Co Frank Kelly. 

James L. Cobb. 
Alfred J. Colby. 
Marion \\ Fitzsimonds. 
Ravmond S. Jeffers. 
Clark B. Waterhouse. 

8th Co Lester C. Collins. 

John McLemore. 

11th Co William Davis, U. S. 

Guy C. Morris, at sea. 



History of the Twentieth Engineers 



Archie A. Randall. 
Allan J. Durward. 
Owen Johnson. 
Charles L. Randall. 
Gilbert J. Larson. 
Elmer R. Adair. 
George A. Benton. 
Ralph L. Hall. 
Charles J. Cumiskev. 
Ralph R. Glidewell. 
Henry J. Nelson. 
Clyde Hemphill. 
Nels G. Swanson. 

12th Co William Doughty. 

I6thCo Edward H. Parker. 

Archie D. Roberts 

l^thCo Percy Dodd. 

Horace B. Quivey. 

Max Swink. 

Asa W. Brown, U. S. 

20th Co Charles Ray Brown, U. S. 

21st Co Gemes Economou. 

23rd Co John H. Lambc. 

2-lthCo Edwin R. I [uso. * 

26th Co John S. DeWeese. 

28th Co Walter Sobiskc. 

lames R, Queen. 
Peter G Byma. 
Orla I I. Dasch. 
Irving J . Clement. 

3()th Co John A. Sonia. 

32nd Co James A. Pierce. 

34th Co John Kelly. 

James Hyde, at sea. 
Wilson B. Young, at 
George 3. Carney. 

36th Co James C. Alcott. 

George L. Nutter. 

47th Co Capt. Anncar, U. S. 

Pvt. Stoker. 

13th Bn. Med. Det. . Wilford A. Fair, killed in action. 
DIED AFTER DISCHARGE 

William Icenogle, 10th Engineers. 

LaVergne P. Schwartz, 1 1th Co. 

Dale Hubbard, 10th Engineers, (Armistice Day, 1919, Centralia, Wash.) 



